The Moon and the Desert
by kage no seikatsu
Summary: GaaraxOC, I'm not the best at summaries, so just try reading it, quit if you hate it and keep reading if you don't. I'll change this summary later, but right now I'm more interested in writing the story itself, so that's what I'm going to focus on. Just a heads up, I'm starting from the very beginning, as in, Academy days, and plan to write my OC through everything else.
1. 1 The Calm Before the Storm

**Author's Note: Just so y'all know, I have to write Ryoka's past for this story to work, otherwise it wouldn't make as much sense. Gaara is a difficult character to realistically match with someone, so if you just want to read about the two of them together instead of what led to it, feel free to skip ahead. Please review, I'd appreciate it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, just the characters I came up with.**

"Otou-San! Okaa-San! Tadaima!" Kyoka called, walking in the door with her sister close behind.

"Welcome back, Kyoka-chan, Ryoka-chan," their mother greeted them warmly, coming from the kitchen, her apron still on.

Kyoka gave her mother a quick hug, before turning to face her older sister.

"You hungry, Ryoka Nee?" she asked curiously, blue eyes wide.

"Mm," her older sister replied with a soft smile. They took off their jackets and shoes and went into the kitchen, where their mother put two steaming bowls of ramen in front of them. Kyoka clapped her hands together.

"Itedekimas!"

Ryoka followed her example and they both ate quickly, the day's adventures having worked up quite an appetite. Their mother watched the two girls with a bemused expression.

Kyoka had wavy blonde hair that just brushed her shoulders. Her cheeks were still red from being outside in the cold and she had eyes so blue they could put sapphires to shame. She was tall, considering her tender age of three and a half, almost the exact height of her elder sibling.

In contrast, Ryoka had straight, raven colored hair that fell nearly to her elbows. Her complexion was pale, but her eyes were a deep honey gold. She was on the shorter side for five, hence the similarity in height with her sister.

In addition to their appearance, their personalities differed as well. Watching Kyoka was like looking at the sun. She was outgoing and cheerful, always with a dazzling smile on her face. Her attitude seemed contagious, always lightening the moods of those around her. She rarely cried or bore grudges, and had a deep set admiration for her elder sister.

Though Ryoka was equally caring, her personality was more reserved and gentle. She rarely spoke unless spoken to, and was fiercely protective of her younger sister, getting angry and speaking out against anyone who dared lay a hand on Kyoka.

Their mother and father often referred to them as the sun and the moon because of their appearances. They had an older brother, Kisuke, but he was a Jounin and was constantly doing missions for the countries along the edge of the village. Their father worked in a fishing business, so he left early in the morning and came home late, though he would be retiring soon to spend more time with his daughters. Overall, their family seemed perfect. Ups and downs occurred just like they did in all families, but as a whole, everyone was happy.

The girls ate supper quickly before it got too cold.

"What did you two do today?" Their mother asked, giving them some tea.

"We went to the lake," Kyoka babbled excitedly. "Neesan taught me how to make stones skip across the water!"

"Really? I didn't know you could skip stones, Ryoka-chan," her mother replied, giving her older daughter a small smile.

Ryoka nodded with a proud smile.

"Mm, Otou-San taught me how when we took a trip to the mountains." Her voice was a bit quiet, but happy all the same.

"I wish we could swim," Kyoka murmured longingly. "Then we could all play in the water during summertime."

"I don't know how to swim either," Ryoka murmured regretfully.

"That's okay, we can find someone who knows how, ne Okaa-san?" Their mother nodded.

"Right, as long as you wait until it gets warm. It's almost winter, so I don't want the two of you to freeze," she teased gently.

Kyoka nodded, looking up at her mother with smiling blue eyes.

"Now clean up your dishes and get ready for bed. I'll call you down when your father gets home."

The two girls obediently did as they were told, knowing only trouble would come if they didn't do their chores.

They came down when their mother called them as promised, their faces lighting up when they saw their father hanging up his coat.

"Otou-San!" They exclaimed together. He grinned at their voices, kissed their mother on the cheek, and gave them each a hug, ruffling their hair.

"Have any new adventures today?" He asked, crouching so that he could be eye level with them.

"I can skip stones now!" Kyoka exclaimed excitedly.

His eyes sparkled. "That's my girl, I knew you could do it."

She beamed, and his eyes met Ryoka's.

"Careful, Ryoka, or Kyoka's gonna be taller than you," he teased lightly. She blushed and stood up a bit straighter.

He laughed at her red face and stood, talking a bit more to them before sending them to bed. They hugged and kissed their parents goodnight before going to their room. Their father stood up once they were gone, looking tired.

"Long day?" His wife questioned gently, putting an extra bowl if ramen on the table for him.

"Ah," he nodded. "A council member came to talk to me today."

"Nani? What business do they have with us?" Her husband walked to the table and sat, holding his spoon but making no move to eat.

"Misaki," he said gently to his wife. She sat down across from him, concerned.

"They want one of our children to be a jinchuriki."

She frowned. "A jinchuriki? What does that mean?"

He hesitated, his eyebrows coming together like they did when he was worried.

"It's a human host for a tailed beast."

"A tailed beast?!" Misaki looked astonished. Even in the small village they lived in, rumors of the legendary nine beasts had circulated, though most believed them to be no more than an old wives' tale.

"Yes. They asked Kisuke, our eldest, since he was an adult, to make his own decision."

Misaki's eyes became worried.

"But Kisuke... His best friend was rumored to have been killed by a tailed beast," she murmured softly.

"He agreed so that neither Ryoka nor Kyoka would have to be the host," he replied. Misaki's mouth parted slightly in horror.

"Has it already happened?" she questioned earnestly.

He shook his head.

"The two of them aren't compatible. The tailed beast destroyed the sample of his chakra in the test."

Misaki sighed in relief, and then her eyes widened as realization hit her.

"They aren't going after Ryoka next are they?!"

"Shh, Misaki, the girls will hear you. They did ask me for a sample of Ryoka's chakra for a test," he admitted tentatively.

"Did you give it to them?" Misaki demanded.

"No, I told them I would need a while to take in everything. They gave me tonight. They're expecting chakra samples tomorrow."

"Just tonight...?" Misaki was at a loss for words.

"Kaien, I don't want either of them to be a jinchuriki!" She protested. "Don't we get a say in this?! These are our _children."_ Her voice was bordering on desperation.

"I know," he answered darkly. "Trust me, I know, but they made it clear I didn't have much of a choice. I'll get the sample tomorrow night. Let's just pray that none of our children are compatible with it. There's a good chance, since it wouldn't work for Kisuke."

"Why us?" Misaki asked, looking like her heart was about to break. "Why did they suddenly just order us to allow a demon to be put into our child?"

"A distant relative of ours was the host of the tailed beast," Kaien replied, his expression growing dark with concealed anger. "But he has grown old. He was unwilling to pass the burden to his own child so he told the council about our relation."

Misaki put her head in her hands.

"Which beast is it?" She asked.

"The seven tails."

He took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Don't worry, Misaki, I'm sure everything will be alright."


	2. 2 The Price of Being a Jinchuriki

"Ryoka nee-San, wake up!"

Ryoka opened her eyes slowly, squinting in the bright light of the sun coming through the window. Her sister's too close face peered down at her with big blue eyes. She frowned and pulled the covers over her head. "Ryokaaaaa," her sister whined.

"I want to learn to climb trees today, and we should start early so we have time! Let's go!" Kyoka ripped the sheets off of her sister and Ryoka rolled onto the floor. She groaned and yawned, slowly getting to her feet.

"Hai, hai," she said tiredly, opening her drawer to get out her clothes. She put on shorts and a black jacket, grabbed her tennis shoes, and finished getting ready, eventually following her sister outside. It was windy, but the sun was out with only a few clouds, so the girls walked down to the forest to practice.

After a while of climbing and falling, Kyoka asked for a break and they sat against the trunk of the tree, tired. After a while a couple of older looking boys walked near them.

"Hey look," one smirked. "It's goldilocks and the vampire."

Ryoka's hands clenched.

"You girls lost?" The other asked, "or are you waiting for Dracula?"

The other one snorted.

"Hey Goldilocks, do you think it's too hot, too cold, or just right outside today?"

"Leave her alone," Ryoka said, getting to her feet. "You don't know anything about us."

One of the boys raised an eyebrow.

"You think your tough, do you?" He reached into a pocket and pulled out a forehead protector. Kyoka's eyes widened.

"See this? This means I'm a Genin. I'm a ninja, and your just a five year old asking for trouble." He put the forehead protector back in his pocket.

"So listen, vampire-girl. I'm a ninja, and your just a toddler. Don't ask for a fight, cuz neither you or goldilocks stand a chance."

"Her name is Kyoka, not goldilocks. Don't make fun of her."

"You brat!" The boy yelled, slapping her. She fell back and Kyoka gave a startled cry.

"Don't talk back again or you're gonna get it," he spat. He whirled around and they left. Ryoka held her cheek in her hands, the eye he had hit beginning to water.

"Nee-San! Daijobu?!"

"Ah, I'm okay, Kyoka-chan," Ryoka replied softly, forcing a smile. "You worry too much."

"But Nee-San, your face is turning red..."

"It's okay, as long as they don't call you names anymore."

"Nee-San..."

Ryoka's expression hardened.

"I'm going to become a ninja," she said. "If I get stronger than I can protect you."

Kyoka's eyes shined with tears.

"You're always protecting me," she choked out, wiping at her eyes.

"Next time I'm gonna protect you, okay?"

Ryoka smiled softly.

"I can take care of myself, Kyoka-chan. Don't worry so much."

They walked home together, hungry for lunch. Their mother fussed a bit over Ryoka's cheek, but eventually accepted Ryoka's story about falling and sent her to get an icepack. After the swelling had gone down, their parents called Ryoka to the sitting room.

Ryoka walked into the sitting room and sat across from her parents, hoping they weren't about to confront her about her lie as to how she hurt her face.

"Ryoka-chan," his father began hesitantly. "The council has talked to me lately about something that concerns you." Ryoka frowned slightly.

"The council?" She questioned curiously. Her mother nodded.

"What for?" She asked. Her mother and father looked at each other meanfully and her father cleared his throat.

"They want to make you the host for the seven tailed beast."

"The host?"

"Basically they want to seal it inside of you to keep it safe. You won't change, unless the seal breaks."

"The seven tails... Didn't nii-sama's friend get hurt from that one?"

Her mother nodded. "It's a very big job, and even if its hard for us we must do it. Your brother offered to take it instead of you, but the tailed beast didn't work with him well. Does this make sense, Ryoka?"

"Sort of," the small girl replied.

"What if it doesn't work with me either?"

"Then they want to seal it in Kyoka-chan."

Ryoka stood up abruptly. "I'll take it," she said immediately.

"What? Ryoka, do you realize-"

"I don't care, I don't want a monster sealed in Kyoka."

"Ryoka-chan..." Her mother said softly.

"Very well, we will take a sample of your chakra to be tested," her father said.

"No," a voice protested from behind the door. Kyoka slid it open, her blue eyes set in determination.

"I'll do it this time. Nee-San is always protecting me. This time, I want to help. Even if its a monster, this way I can really help Ryoka nee-San!"

"Kyoka-chan!" Ryoka exclaimed. "This isn't about that! This is completely different."

"I don't care!" Her sister shouted, stamping her foot. "I don't want you getting hurt over me anymore!"

"Now, now, calm down," Misaki said soothingly as Ryoka's hands curled into fists.

"We will take a sample of your chakra too," she told Kyoka with a sigh.

"Nani?!" Ryoka demanded. Her father held up a hand to stop her.

"Kyoka, go get one of your old clothes and bring it to me." The girl nodded seriously and ran off.

"Ryoka, this has to be one of you, and as much as it hurts us, we can't deny her right to accept the tailed beast."

"You can't let her do this for me! It's a monster!" Ryoka exclaimed, her normally calm exterior diminishing rapidly.

"We don't have a choice," he said gravely. "I need a piece of your clothing too."

Not bothering to get something old, Ryoka angrily tore off the edge of her shirt, dropping the square of fabric on the table. He put it in a jar that he pulled out of his pocket and a blue substance swirled out of it with a bright glow. Kyoka returned with a piece of white fabric and he did the same as he had done with the first.

"What is that?" Kyoka asked curiously.

"These jars absorb chakra from things that have your scent on them, but we can't open them now or the chakra will return to who it belongs to," her father replied.

"Oh," she replied, nervously glancing at Ryoka, who turned her head away from her sister, her hands still clenched.

"I'll make dinner," Misaki said gently.

"Go get changed," her father instructed, following his wife out. Kyoka followed happily, her cheerful mood having returned, and Ryoka took a step in their direction, making sure they were gone before sprinting full speed towards the office in the other direction. Her brother didn't work with the monster. His chakra didn't pass the test. She grabbed her brothers white coat and tore a square of fabric from the inside. She ran to her sister's jar and reached for it, her hand hesitating right before she touched it.

Did she really want to do this? It would ensure that she was going to be connected to a monster. She bit her lip, afraid. What would the beast do to her? She could easily replace her own piece of fabric, ensuring that her sister got the beast. She steeled herself against the thought. This was so that Kyoka could keep smiling. She picked up Kyoka's jar and opened it, watching in fascination as the blue swirly chakra vanished. She immediately replaced the fabric with her brother's and screwed the lid on tight. After a moment, more bright chakra again filled the jar. Relieved, Ryoka put the jar back and exited the room, knowing full well that she had condemned herself. Somehow she had a feeling, just pure instinct, but she was certain nonetheless that she would be compatible with the demon.


	3. 3 Academy Days

"Are you ready?"

Ryoka nodded at the council member, trying to relax. She would be turning six today. This was no time to get scared. She was lying on the floor of a darkroom, glowing green symbols appearing in a spiral around her. She was covered with a white sheet, and she closed her eyes as instructed, not looking at the six people sitting in a wide circle around her, each with a different seal. The procedure began, and Ryoka saw the seven tails in her mind's eye. It was huge. A massive black wolf with white irises and razor sharp teeth and claws growled fiercely at her. It's body shifted slightly, as if its fur was made up of shadows, and its seven tails flickered like black fire. It had white markings on the sides of its face and was several times the size of a large building.

_You_, it growled fiercely in her mind.

_I will destroy you. You are young, you cannot keep me contained. _She blocked out the voice, fear in her heart, and allowed herself to be forced into unconsciousness for the rest of the sealing process.

When Ryoka woke up, she felt the same. There was a spiraled star tattooed on her ankle which tingled a bit. She got up from the floor and retrieved her clothes from the corner, waiting to be let out of the room. An elder opened the door carefully, asking how she felt.

She told him she didn't feel any different. He offered her a mirror.

"You may want to see how you've changed in appearance so you will be prepared to others' reactions."

Had her appearance changed? Worried, she took the mirror and held it up to her face. The differences were minimal. Her canine teeth were slightly sharper, her gold eyes a bit more prominent, and there was a silver streak in her hair on one side, barely visible beneath her top layers of hair. Her eyes were outlined thinly in black, but for the most part she was still recognizable. She handed the mirror back to the elder, thanking him, and asking if she could leave. After a quick medical examination, she was permitted to go back home where her family was waiting. She opened the door, feeling tired from the process, and her mother hesitantly looked out from the kitchen.

"Ryoka-chan... Are you feeling alright?"

"Hai, just tired," she replied. "Where's Otou-san?"

"He's on his way home. He just registered you for Ninja Academy."

"Really?" She smiled excitedly, noticing her mother's worry at the sight of her teeth.

"Why don't you get ready for dinner okay?"

The days passed, and Ryoka slowly noticed changes in the people around her. Her mother still smiled at her, but was always reserved and nervous around her. Her father almost never let her go out alone with Kyoka anymore, though he didn't give a reason. He still treated her well, but with more of a stranger type politeness rather than fatherly love. She notices the glares of people around her as she walked through her village, and she saw parents steer their children clear of her. More often than not she overheard the word 'monster' whispered between adults as she passed. The boys that had previously bullied her now stayed away, and she almost wished they would be mean, since at least they would be acknowledging her. She had stopped going outside with Kyoka, since her sister got upset when people threw rocks at Ryoka. Ryoka didn't want Kyoka to get hurt or worry, so it was easier just to leave on her own. Today she had to go into a shop to get some school supplies, since tomorrow would be her first day at the Academy. She told herself not to expect much from her classmates, knowing they had probably been told to stay away from her, but she really, really wanted a friend. The only person who treated her normal was Kyoka, which she appreciated more than anything, but having experienced being loved just to have it taken away because of a monster sealed within her had hit her more than she had anticipated.

Ryoka walked down the dusty path of her village, ignoring the looks that were sent her direction. Adults glared down at her as she passed by them, but she ignored them, instead looking straight ahead, her bright gold eyes calm. She passed an alleyway just as a rock the size of her fist flew towards her, hitting her on the side of the head with a sharp impact. The rock fell to the ground, and Ryoka didn't bother looking to see who had thrown it. Instead, she reached up tentatively to touch her temple, wincing. Her fingers came away bloody. She turned into a shop and picked up the items she had come for. She put the items on the counter and took out money to pay for it, waiting for the man to reach for the money, but he never did.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded icily.

She hesitated, trying to explain that her parents had asked her to buy some school things, but she didn't get a chance to answer.

"Get out of my shop!"

"Sir, I-"

"Out!" The man took one of the items on the counter and hurled it towards her. She stumbled back, narrowly avoiding it.

"You want that?! Then take it and leave!" He turned and stormed to the back of the shop, slamming the shutters behind him.

Ryoka ran out of the shop as fast as she could, blinking back tears. tomorrow was her first day at the Academy to become a Genin. She couldn't afford to cry. She walked to the edge of the village and sat on a swing, gently pushing and pulling herself back and forth to calm herself down. She heard the whispers of adults and kids as they passed by.

"Hey, isn't that the girl?"

"Shh, we aren't supposed to talk about her. Just ignore her and keep walking."

"What a monster."

"She shouldn't be allowed to stay in this village."

"I wonder if she'll just give up on living here and leave."

"I hope so, it's about time our village had less things to worry about."

Ryoka's eyes sparkled with tears as the ache in her chest grew. She still didnt inderstand why she felt so isolated. She clutched her shirt at where her heart was, trying to suppress the lonely feeling. A tear danced down her cheek, and she hastily wiped it away. Crying was unacceptable. Starting tomorrow she would be a ninja. In fact, she should be practicing as much as possible. She got up from the swing and walked over to the trees that separated the village of Shadows from the other villages. Walking over to a tree she had hollowed out, she pulled a kunai knife and a few shuriken out of its hollow. She had been practicing for weeks, and had almost mastered her clone technique, hoping to become as strong as possible.

She walked into a small field where she had strung up several targets. Imagining several enemies attacking at once, she threw the first shuriken, her spirits lifting slightly as it hit its mark dead on. She whirled around and did a back walkover before leaping up and hitting the target in the trees with the second shuriken. She threw two more the instant her feet touched the ground, both of which hit their targets dead on. Now armed with only her kunai knife, she expertly twirled it around one finger, catching it on the second swing and rolling forward, throwing it behind her where the target in her blind spot was. She landed in a crouch, examining her progress. Three of the shuriken and the kunai knife had hit dead on, though one of the blades had missed the center of the target by a half inch. Frowning at the inaccuracy, she retrieved her weapons and repeated the technique four more times before confident that she could hit each one perfectly every time. The Village of Shadows taught clone jutsu, but specialized in Shadow Clones since their village had invented it. Ryoka's normal clone was almost perfect though her shadow clone was slightly unsteady. She formed the seal for a clone and one appeared next to her in a puff of smoke. She practiced instructing it to do different things, eventually succeeding in making it perform the training exercise with the shurikens almost perfectly. She broke the jutsu and tried again, this time making a shadow clone. The more advanced jutsu was a bit difficult, so she wasn't as flexible with it, but it still looked real enough. Satisfied that she was ahead enough that she wouldn't stand out too much, she walked back to the swing, not wanting to go home.

Ryoka was determined to become a strong ninja. Maybe if she became strong enough, and helped protect the village, the villagers wouldn't treat her like she didn't belong. That was her hope. She fell asleep leaning against the tree by the swing, hoping she could make friends the next day.

The next morning Ryoka woke up, sore from leaning against a tree. She hoped her family wouldn't be too worried. She doubted it. It wasn't the first time she hadn't come home for the night since the sealing. She walked to a stream and washed her face, clearing away her drowsiness. She traveled the short distance to the academy, where several parents were walking, hand in hand with their children, towards the entrance where the children were gathered. As the adults saw her with the other students, she noticed them whispering to their children, giving her pointed looks, undoubtedly telling them to keep their distance. It made Ryoka's heart ache like always, but she wasn't surprised. All she could do was be kind to everyone and hope that she could make a friend. She joined the kids and the parents left as five senseis came out. One of the teachers explained that the children would be divided into five classes, each with one of the senseis there. They would also be presenting the students with their own forehead protectors that day as a sign of trust that they all believed every single one of the students there had the potential to become Genin. Each class would have a different color band, but they wouldnt receive the silver plate with the village's symbol on it until graduation. The silver plate had the symbol of the Village of Shadows, a spiraled circle with three branches turning out of it.

The children were divided and Ryoka was put in the fifth division, whose class received black forehead protectors. She held it in her hand, reluctant to wear it. After all, she wasn't a Genin yet. She wasn't worthy enough to wear a forehead protector. Instead, she tied it around her neck, as a few others were doing. None of the students so much as looked at her, but that was better than the glaring she received from adults. They walked to their classes and she chose a desk in the back by a window. It overlooked the forest outside of the Village of Shadows, and she rested her chin in her hand, enjoying the view. She heard whispers around her and her heart sank slightly at their words of caution against her, but she just took a deep breath, sighing. This was the life she had chosen for Kyoka. As long as Kyoka was okay and happy, it was worth it. The teacher, Yoshino Sensei, called roll and introduced himself.

"Class, today, most of the other students are introducing themselves and discussing procedures, but that's not how it will be for you. We are going to start training today, and if you do something wrong I will tell you. Now listen up, and I will tell you how things are going to be done." The class sat up a little straighter, all of them paying attention. Ryoka continued looking out the window, but she listened carefully.

"Once you graduate as a Genin, you will be put into teams of three under a Jounin. I will be temporarily putting you into groups of three so you can learn to work in a team until then. Alright, the teams will be..."

He rattled off names, and the class muffled their remarks of excitement and hidden groans as they were teamed with members.

"...Hanate Saki, Higurashi Kohaku, and Nadeshiko Ryoka."

Ryoka glanced over at Saki, who looked delighted to be with Kohaku, even as every other girl in the room glared at her in jealousy. So he's the guy all the girls are crushing on, Ryoka thought. Should she pretend to like him as well? She dismissed the thought. That would only make the other girls dislike her. She glanced at Kohaku. He wasn't looking at either of them. He was leaning back in his seat, hands behind his head, watching the ceiling in boredom. He had brown eyes and hair, and was pretty tall, but seemed arrogant.

"Alright, get in your groups!"

Ryoka quietly joined Saki and Kohaku. Saki was watching her with the same eyes adults did. With mistrust and hate. Kohaku just watched both of them with disinterest. Saki had pretty red shoulder length hair and dark blue eyes. She glared at Ryoka before standing next to Kohaku.

"Kohaku-kun!" She squealed, clasping her hands together under her chin.

"I'm looking forward to working with you!"

"Everyone get to know each other. I want everyone in your group to know why he or she wishes to become a ninja," Yoshino Sensei commanded.

"Ne, ne, Kohaku-kun, why did you decide to become a ninja?" Saki asked excitedly. He sighed, as if the question was too bothersome to answer.

"I'm looking for someone," he said finally. Saki smiled wide when he answered.

"I want to be a ninja, so I can be strong and help people!" She exclaimed excitedly. He blinked, accepting her answer, and turned to look at Ryoka, who shifted uncomfortably under his stare.

"You. You haven't spoken yet," he observed. She opened her mouth to speak, but Saki cut her off.

"Don't listen to her, Kohaku-kun. We don't need to pay attention to what she says."

His eyes flicked up to meet hers.

"Why not? She's on our team."

"It's okay," Ryoka said quickly. "I don't mind... Being ignored," she finished softly, looking away, and his eyes narrowed slightly though he didn't say anything.

The rest of the day went smoothly, and they ended up doing shuriken practice, which Ryoka did well, though Saki almost killed her by throwing a shuriken off course. Kohaku did almost perfectly as well, earning looks of admiration from the rest of the class.

The first year of school passed slowly, with Kohaku and Saki mostly ignoring Ryoka, but gradually beginning to be accustomed to her presence. They worked well together. Kohaku was an excellent fighter for most of the fight, while Saki wasn't strong but was very smart and could strategize perfectly. Ryoka stayed in the back, but when Saki was in danger or when Kohaku was about to be beaten, she stepped in quickly to provide backup.

It was one evening when the three were on the mountain pass to collect medicinal herbs when they accidentally crossed into enemy territory.

Ryoka recognized the signs of enemy ninja and alerted the others. Saki was reluctant to believe her, but Kohaku took her word for it in an instant. They went into a defensive formation.

"Where are they?" Kohaku asked Ryoka. She was surprised that he was asking her, but replied calmly and quietly.

"There are five that I see signs of. One at four o clock in a tree. He's the scout. There are two trying to sneak up behind us, they are the main fighters. There's one on the left, staying in hiding until he finds an opening, and the main one is coming at eleven o clock. He's the decoy."

"How do you know that? You've never mentioned you could track," Saki hissed.

"I didn't think it mattered," she replied softly.

Kohaku took a stance. "Saki, think of a counter strategy. Ryoka, go get help. We will buy you time."

"I'll get help," Saki said quickly. "Apparently Ryoka is better at this kind of thing anyways." She vanished and Ryoka took a defensive stance. Kohaku swore quietly.

"Can you fight?" He asked her.

She nodded.

"I mean for real. You aren't backup anymore."

"I can." He nodded.

"Go after the decoy. I'll target the two behind us." She nodded, and at his signal, both of them vanished. Ryoka attacked the decoy from behind, and switched out with a shadow clone, which he stabbed, but managed to knock him out before disappearing in a puff of smoke. Smiling slightly at the clone's success, she vanished and appeared next to the scout on the tree, who lashed out at her with a knife, but she dodged, the knife barely grazing her cheek.

She aimed a swift punch to the side of his head and he crumpled to the ground, unconscious. She turned to look for Kohaku. He had gotten one of the ninjas down, but the other looked to be a better fighter. He shoved Kohaku to the ground and raised a kunai, ready to stab Kohaku.

Ryoka jumped in front of Kohaku and wrapped her arms around him, rolling out of the way even as she felt the kunai impale her back. She gasped as her back felt like it was being lit on fire. Kohaku was staring at her with shocked eyes.

"Why would you-" blood dripped to the ground and his eyes widened.

"Did he stab you?!"

She clenched her teeth, trying to get off of him and to her feet. "This... Is nothing," she gasped, pushing herself to all fours. He lifted her the rest of the way to her feet and she faced the man, whose last comrade had joined him.

"You got lucky taking us by surprise, kid, but that ends here," one of the ninja said seriously. He attacked and in an instant had Kohaku pinned against a tree with his arm. The other ninja grabbed Ryoka and pinned her to the ground.

"Kohaku-San!" She exclaimed in terror as the ninja drove the knife toward him. He turned his body to the side, the knife just grazing his ribs. He bit the man's arm and the ninja swore, releasing him. He rolled and made a shadow clone, using it to put her captor in a choke hold. He released her and she got to her feet. Kohaku reached in his weapons bag, finding it empty and shot a look at Ryoka.

"Ryoka, do you have a kunai?"

Ryoka didn't. She clenched her teeth, reaching with shaking fingers to the weapon impaled in her back. She wrapped her hand around it and pulled slightly. Her back exploded in pain and she gasped as fire ripped through the injury.

"Take it," she said to him. "I can't get it out."

"No, that will make the injury worse," he said automatically, defending a blow from the ninja.

Ryoka turned her head and listened carefully. Help was coming. They wouldn't be fast enough.

"Just take... The kunai..." She gasped, walking over to him.

"I won't," he said firmly.

"Damnit, Kohaku-San," she said in frustration. She grabbed the knife again, determined, just as several ninja appeared, with Saki leading them. The two enemy ninja swore and disappeared, Kohaku's clone vanishing in a cloud of smoke.

Paramedics rushed to Ryoka.

"Don't pull it out-"

But she had already pulled, hard. It came out of her back and she collapsed on all fours, almost blinded from pain. She offered the bloody knife to a shocked Kohaku.

"Get them," she said with a forced smile. He nodded seriously, took the knife, and vanished. The paramedics approached her, at first with urgency, and then with hostility when they realized who she was. The wiped off the excess blood and put a bandage on her back, telling her it would heal naturally. Then they left immediately to check on Kohaku, who had returned without incident.

"Are you alright?" A paramedic asked.

"You fought bravely, where are you hurt?"

He watched them coldly.

"I'm not hurt. Go tend to Ryoka."

"Don't worry about that girl, lets just get you patched up."

"She saved my life and got stabbed. She needs more medical attention than just a bandage."

"Please don't talk to her anymore sir, it's obvious she has influenced you. good people like you and Hanate Saki shouldn't be exposed to people like her."

At the last comment he angrily slapped away the paramedics hand and walked over to Ryoka, much to Saki and the paramedics displeasure.

"Can you stand?" He asked. She shook her head.

"Not yet, but I'll get home okay-"

She protested as he slipped an arm under hers and helped her to her feet.

"You're just making it worse for yourself," she said quietly. He shrugged. "They can think what they want. How long have you been treated this way?"

She didn't answer. He helped her walk home, Saki following disapprovingly, and once they were almost there, Ryoka stood on her own.

"You can walk now?" Saki asked disbelievingly. She nodded.

"I heal quickly." It had gotten late, and it was dark. The moon was full, but it was obscured by dark shadows. The night felt dark and ominous, and Ryoka got a bad feeling.

They were in front of her house. Suddenly Kyoka ran out, tears streaming down her face. The young girl sprinted up to Ryoka and hugged her, sobbing.

"Kyoka! What's wrong?" Ryoka asked, ignoring Saki and Kohaku's concerned looks.

"Th-the bad ninja came!" She sobbed.

"Th-they k-killed Otou-San, and they're hurting Okaa-San!"

"What?!" Ryoka ran inside and Saki and Kohaku glanced at each other.

"Those ninja... Are we all under attack?" Saki asked.

"Let's support Ryoka. She's just lost her family," Kohaku said quietly.


	4. 4 The Beginning of Alone

Ryoka rushed inside, slamming the door open. Her father was on the floor, eyes closed, and covered in blood, way too still to merely be unconscious.

Ryoka's mother was cornered in the living room. Two men wielding knives were advancing on her. When she saw her daughters in the doorway her eyes widened in terror.

"Ryoka!" She screamed. "Take your sister an run! Get out of here! Get out of the village!" Ryoka froze in terror. The man slashed down with his knife. There was a spray of blood, some of which splattered on Ryoka's face, and her mother fell to the ground. The men rounded on the two kids.

"Two more, huh?" The first one said gruffly.

"You take care of 'em," the second one said. "I don't like killin' kids."

"Alright, alright," the first one said. He drew his knife and advanced on Ryoka. She stood in the corner, shoving her sister behind her, who whimpered in terror.

As if in slow motion, she saw him draw his sword, drenched in blood, and raise it over his head. A drop of her mother's blood dripped off of the knife. Ryoka could feel the edge of the doorway behind her. Kyoka might be able to slip out unnoticed.

"Kyoka," she whispered. "Run."

To her relief, Kyoka obeyed, running to the back of the house as fast as she could. Ryoka closed her eyes, praying her sister could escape. She heard the slight swish of air as the knife came down, and heard it make contact with flesh and bone, but felt no pain. Is this what death is? She wondered. She opened her eyes, and cried out in shock and horror. Her brother was in front of her, holding Kyoka on his back, the knife having slashed his torso as he protected her.

"Nii-sama!"

Ryoka was confused. Her brother had treated her like the adults did. On the rare times when he had visited, he'd had the same look in his eyes as everyone else. The eyes that said she was a monster. Now he was protecting her when he could have easily taken Kyoka and run.

"Why would you...?!" Her words trailed off as he killed one of the men instantly, the other one grabbing his knife, ready. Her brother used a kunai and cut off the ninja's head just as the ninja stabbed him in the chest with his knife. Her brother fell to the ground, bleeding out all over the floor.

Ryoka fell to her knees by her brother, her eyes wide in horror as she tried to stop the blood. Kyoka was clutching her around the waist, sobbing into her shirt.

Saki and Kohaku ran in, their eyes widening when they saw Ryoka crouched by her dead parents, trying to stop her brother from bleeding.

Ryoka turned to them, tears leaving tracks in the blood on her face.

"P-please," she whispered. She unwrapped Kyoka's arms from her waist.

"T-take her to the border, I'll meet you there."

Saki opened her mouth to protest, but Kohaku silenced her with a glare.

"We will protect her," he said firmly. He took the crying girl in his arms and vanished, Saki close behind him. Ryoka desperately tried to stop the blood from seeping through her brother's clothes.

"Why?! Why save me?!" She screamed at him, bordering on insanity.

"R-Ryoka," he whispered.

"Y-you're going to be okay, I'm going to save you," she whispered, tears streaming down her face.

"They will destroy the village. They aren't ninja."

"Wh-what? Why are you saying this?" She asked, wiping her eyes but only succeeding in getting blood on her face.

"Take your sister," he whispered. "Go to Konoha. Ask for Kakashi."

"N-nii sama, please don't leave me," she cried.

"I'm not going to make it, Ryoka."

"N-no! Please d-don't say that!"

"Ryoka, did I make you lonely?"

She watched in shock, her mouth frozen in a small 'o' as a tear fell out of the corner of her brother's eye.

He forced a tiny smile.

"I saw you, and I saw the seven tails. I felt like I couldn't look at you anymore."

Ryoka sniffed.

"Th-then why did you save me?"

"Because I realized you're still my little sister. I love you, Ryoka-chan. Please try to be happy."

"Nii-sama! Don't die! Please! I love you too," she screamed, sobbing into his chest. With difficulty, he pulled his forehead protector off of his arm, letting it rest in Ryoka's hands.

"You've proved yourself," he whispered with a smile. His eyes fluttered closed and his heart slowed to a standstill.

Ryoka backed into the wall, covered in blood that wasn't hers, clutching the forehead protector to her chest. First her dad, then her mom, and now her brother. She looked at each of their bodies in turn, pain about to make her break. She clenched her fists.

She had to save Kyoka. She was all that was left. She ran out of her house and into the streets, eyes widening at the destruction before her. Instead of the usual stone path with grassy yards there was fire and dust everywhere. Screams of families and people getting killed filled the air as their attackers shot through the village. Ryoka sprinted full speed towards the border. An attacker grabbed her collar, pulling her back and raising a knife, but she whirled around, feeling heat behind her eyes, and he gasped, backing away. A ball of black energy appeared and blasted him apart. Ryoka had no idea what she had done, but she didn't give herself time to think about it. She reached the border just in time to see a ninja plunge a knife into Saki's back as her teammate let out a piercing scream of agony.

"Saki!" Kohaku yelled. He had Kyoka on his back. He whirled around just as another attacker plunged a knife into his neck faster than he could blink. Kyoka screamed, falling off of Kohaku and backing away. Ryoka ran towards her friends, tears once again streaming down her face.

"NO!" She screamed, her eyes heating as her vision became tinged with red. Another ball of energy appeared and she raised her hands, pointing them at the attackers. The energy blasted the two enemy ninja apart and the red feeling vanished, replaced by exhaustion.

"Nii-San!" Kyoka yelled. Ryoka stumbled towards Kohaku and Saki's forms, praying that they weren't dead, but having a horrible feeling they were.

Kohaku was barely breathing.

"Ryoka," he gasped, blood gurgling in his throat where the knife was imbedded.

"Kohaku-San," she whispered.

"I w-want to l-live-" he said something indistinguishable and his eyes dulled to a glassy black, clouding over as he stilled. Kyoka clutched her sister's side, her body shaking as she cried. Ryoka felt numb. Somehow she picked herself off the ground, took her sister's hand, and walked across the border into the forest, looking back at her village for the last time, and immediately wishing she hadnt. Instead of screams, the fires burned in an eerie silence. Bodies were strewn about the streets. With chilling certainty, Ryoka knew that she and her sister were the only ones alive. She covered her sister's eyes when she tried to turn around. Squeezing Kyoka's hand, they walked into the forest, away from the Village of Shadows. They were going to Konoha.


	5. 5 Departing From Family

The Village of Shadows was located in a small area between the Village of Rain and the country of Wind. To avoid the constant battle zone of being in the Country of Rain, Ryoka decided to pass through small villages, and then through Suna before making it to Konoha. She knew Kyoka wouldn't make it the whole way. Kyoka was heartbroken, scared, and needed a family. Ryoka couldn't give her what she needed to be happy. They spent the night at the edge of a small village, sleeping against the heater outside of a bakery. Ryoka had given her little sister her coat, but the blonde girl was still shivering in her sleep. Ryoka let Kyoka snuggle up against her side, and try to get some sleep. She stared at the night sky, unable to stop more tears from falling. Her teeth clenched in pain as she remembered her mother, her father, and her brother's bodies, all covered in blood, left to burn at their attackers' will. She shivered. It was freezing, and she just had her t shirt and shorts. A woman came out from the side of the bakery, carrying a trash bag around to the back of the building. She turned the corner and jumped in surprise when she saw the two young girls behind the building.

"Good heavens! Are you alright? Where are your parents?"

She saw the blood on Ryoka and her eyes softened.

"Let's get you cleaned up."

Ryoka suddenly knew what she had to do. If she went with this woman she would probably be happy with her sister, with a new family, but she would never be able to summon the will to leave. This is what Kyoka needed. A warm, kind place to stay. Ryoka needed to go to Konoha.

"Ma'am," she said softly, her voice strained.

"What is it dear?"

"C-can you please take care of my sister?"

"Of course! I can take care of both of you until you're well and old enough to go out on your own."

Ryoka shook her head.

"I have a job to do, and I don't want Kyoka to cry anymore. Please, can you be the mother we don't have anymore?"

The woman's eyes widened, before softening.

"Ah," she said kindly. "You're a good big sister, aren't you?"

Ryoka cradled her sister in her arms, watching her peaceful face as she slept.

"Kyoka-chan," she murmured. Kyoka's eyes opened sleepily.

"Nii-San?" She mumbled. "Why are you waking up first?"

"Kyoka-chan, I'm going on an adventure, so I need you to be brave okay? I can't take care of you right now," Ryoka said, her voice trembling even as she smiled at her sister.

"Nii-San? Where are you going?" She mumbled, still sleepy.

"I'm going to get strong, and then I can come back and take care of you," Ryoka whispered, her voice breaking.

"Goodbye, Kyoka-chan, I love you," Ryoka said softly, tears still falling down her face.

She handed Kyoka to the woman, who took her gently.

"Ryoka nii-San? What's going on?"

Kyoka was beginning to wake up.

Ryoka pulled a folded note out of her pocket.

"Please give this to her when she's older," Ryoka said with effort. The woman nodded and took the note.

"Ryoka nii-San! What are you doing? Where are you going?" Kyoka's panicked voice made Ryoka's heart ache. She turned and vanished, fighting every instinct in her body to go back to her sister. She wiped away her tears, steeling her heart. No more crying. She would return to make sure Kyoka was okay. Once every year, Ryoka decided. Once every year, on Kyoka's birthday, she would discreetly check on her, and leave a gift. Kyoka would probably forget she had a sister over time, but that was okay too. As long as she was happy. Ryoka checked the moon for the time. She would make it to Suna the next morning. She decided she would stop there, gather supplies, and set off for the three day trip to Konoha after that.

Just like that, she was alone.

Ryoka hopped from tree to tree, knowing enough skills to do at least that after one year of ninja training. Exhausted as she was, she kept going, hardening her heart even further. She couldn't be weak. Not now. Even as images of Saki, a knife in her back, or Kohaku, his neck torn open, or her mother, her torso mangled and bloody, crossed her mind, or her father, face down in his own blood, completely still. Or her brother, who died for her sake, though he had seen her as a monster, giving her his last words. She pulled out the forehead protector, looking at her reflection in the silver plate. Her brother had passed it on to her. She wiped away the excess blood on it. She couldn't wear it. Not until she graduated as a Genin. She gritted her teeth, knowing if she thought about Kyoka her resolve would grind to dust and she would return to comfort her sister. She took a deep calming breath. Suna was ahead. Hopefully she would be allowed to enter as a foreigner. A mile away from the city, she stopped by a pond. She washed the blood off of her face and out of her hair, doing the same with her clothing. While she waited for her hair to dry in the heat of the sun, she looked through her pack. She had one kunai, two shuriken, and some herbs. Kyoka felt a sore ache in her back. Was it really only yesterday that a kunai had impaled her? It felt like it had been years. She sat back on the grass and closed her eyes with a pained sigh, only hoping she had done the right thing so far. When her hair and clothes were dry, she braided her hair into one long braid and put on her shorts and long sleeve black shirt, tying on her pack and carefully folding the forehead protector in it. It was probably the last forehead protector that had the symbol of the Village of Shadows on it. Ready, she approached Suna, walking through the front. She got stopped by some guards who were suspicious over a young child entering alone, but she stuck to the truth, simply saying that she needed supplies and then would head out. They agreed, only on the condition that she allow a ninja to accompany her to make sure she didn't cause trouble.

She agreed reluctantly and waited as they called in someone.

"What are you doing?" A female voice demanded. The guards turned, panicking slightly when they saw a girl approaching them, hands on her hips. She had slanted dark green eyes and blonde hair tied back in four short pony tails. Her bangs fell to either side, and she had a Suna forehead protector around her neck.

"L-lady Temari, we were just waiting for a Genin to escort this traveler to get supplies before leaving," one of the guards said hastily. Ryoka watched expressionlessly but was curious as to who this girl was. She didn't look to be much older than herself, and Ryoka was only six.

"You should be on duty," she ordered.

"But-"

"I'll take her to get what she needs. Get back to your posts, or I'll report you to the Kazekage."

"H-hai!" They said quickly, leaving.

Temari turned to Ryoka.

"You. Why are you here alone?"

Ryoka met her gaze calmly.

"I'm here to get supplies."

"For what? Where are you going?"

"Konoha."

Temari frowned, trying to stare Ryoka down, but then she just shrugged, turning and lifting a hand over her shoulder to dictate that she should follow.

They went to a shop off of a side street, and Ryoka traded the little she had for supplies without incident.

"You by yourself?" Temari asked.

Ryoka nodded.

"Why don't I get you something else to wear?"

Ryoka looked up, surprised at Temari's sudden display of kindness.

"O-okay," she agreed. On the way back, Ryoka paused, looking down the path at a bunch of children playing with a ball.

One of the boys kicked the ball high into the air, and it landed on the roof, getting stuck. Temari paused ahead of her, realizing she had stopped. Ryoka watched curiously as a column of sand appeared and snaked its way up to the ball, lifting it and bringing it to rest in another boy's hands that Ryoka had not seen earlier. He was her age, but had bright red hair and pale green eyes with dark rings around them like Ryoka did, just more pronounced. She took a step forward, but Temari held her back.

"Not good," she murmured. "Let's go."

Ryoka didn't move, transfixed as the boy shyly offered the ball to the nearest kid. All of the kids tried to run away as fast as they could. Ryoka's eyes hardened. Why were people so cruel? The boy cried out, reaching for them and dropping the ball, the sand picked up and went after them of its own accord. Ryoka looked at Temari. Temari was watching the red haired boy with those eyes. The eyes she had been looked at after the seven tails was sealed within her.

"It's dangerous here," Temari said coldly. "Let's leave."

"He didn't mean to hurt them," Ryoka said softly. Temari gave her a strange look.

"Gaara controls the sand. He is a jinchuriki, and a monster used here as a weapon."

Ryoka's eyes shot open. A jinchuriki? He was like her. Did everyone in the world isolate jinchuriki?

"Ready to go?" Temari asked.

"I have everything I need," Ryoka said icily, her eyes narrowing. "Thank you for your help." With that, she turned and vanished, leaving Suna.

Temari swore quietly.

"Nobody said she was a ninja!" She exclaimed angrily. She ran into the nearest building, a bar where several people were gambling.

"You!" Temari demanded, pointing at the nearest gambler, a busty woman with long blonde hair divided into two low ponytails. The woman turned, raising an eyebrow.

"You're a ninja! Find the girl that was here a moment ago! She's a foreigner."

The woman raised an eyebrow.

"Do you know who you are speaking to?" She asked.

"Do you?" Temari retorted. She glanced at the gambling table. This woman had lost everything and was out of money.

"I'll pay you if you find her," Temari said reluctantly. The woman's eyes lit up. She stood abruptly.

"Shizune! We are leaving!"

A young woman with short black hair and a small pig stood up.

"Hai, Tsunade-sama," she said, bowing.

"What did this girl look like?" Tsunade questioned.

"Long black hair, gold eyes. Black shirt, shorts, ninja belt. Maybe six years old."

Tsunade sweatdropped.

"You want me to find a six year old ninja?"

"Just go!" Temari shouted obstinately

"Hai, hai," Tsunade sighed. She left the pub and disappeared around a corner, The young woman and her pig close behind.

Temari sighed. That had been close. If her father had found out she'd lost a foreigner in the village, regardless of their age, she would've been in for it.

She turned and walked back to her home, hoping Gaara wasn't back yet.


	6. 6 Banished From Suna

Ryoka looked left an right in frustration. Why was this city so confusing? All of the buildings looked the same, made out of the same dull brown material. She turned another corner, leaping from roof to roof. She was angry. That red haired boy was just like her. He was alone, and he had been cast out by his friends. Ryoka had no idea what Temari's relationship to him was, but it was clear that she along with the rest of the village feared him and kept their distance. She skidded to a stop, finally recognizing where she was.

Gaara was standing alone on the roof, eyes downcast.

She had gone in a circle. She was about to turn when a familiar glint of silver caught her eye. She whirled around in time to see a kunai spinning out if nowhere, directly towards the red haired boy. Before she had a chance to blink, a wall of sand deflected the knife and the boy looked up in surprise. Ryoka's head whipped around to where the kunai had come from, just in time to see a masked ninja duck out of sight. Her eyes narrowed. They were sending assassins after him as well?

Her chest ached with a familiar pain. Loneliness. Hate built in her chest as she watched the young boy wipe his eyes, his mouth locked in a grimace of pain, his teal eyes watering.

She froze as she overheard low voices below her on the ground.

"Did you hear about the Kazekage?"

"Ah, can't believe that jinchuriki problem has gotten so large."

"To think he'd send assassins after his own son."

"Son? That boy is a cold blooded killer. He's a monster."

"Shh, we shouldn't talk about him. His name's taboo."

Ryoka froze, her eyes tracing her way up the buildings to what was unmistakably the Kazekage's quarters. Her fists clenched at her sides.

Gaara the jinchuriki was the son of the Kazekage. The Kazekage had ordered assassins after his son. Her teeth ground together in fury. The Kazekage wouldn't get away with this. She went full speed towards the building, easily climbing in the blinds spots of security guards and peering through a window. Her heartbeat sped up. The Kazekage was there, not two yards away from her. Her blood boiled, her eyes narrowing in hate. This man was like a symbol to her. A symbol of what caused the loneliness of that boy, Gaara, and herself. She drew back her fist and punched through the window, the glass shattering. The Kazekage turned calmly, gazing at her with cool, calculating eyes.

"Who are you?" He questioned, his voice icy.

She didn't answer. She leapt through the window, ignoring the sharp cuts she received in her arms and shoulders from the glass.

Trembling in rage, she slowly took out a kunai knife. She swiftly and silently charged him, despising everything about him. He wasn't a human to her. Let alone a father. He was the king of the assassins. The enemy. She stabbed at his neck and he stopped her with one hand, grabbing her wrist painfully.

"What are you doing?" His hand tightened and she hissed in pain, but didn't let go of the knife.

"I asked you a question."

He hit her shoulder with the palm of his hand and her torso snapped back. He let go and she smacked into the wall, breaking a vase that fell with a crash.

"You... Aren't... A father," she gasped hatefully, glaring up at him.

His eyes widened slightly, and his expressions contorted.

"Get out of my village," he snapped.

"You are banned from Suna as long as I am alive, for attacking the Kazekage. Get out!"

Shuddering in pain, she gave him one last glare, but knowing she was lucky to be leaving with her life, vanished out the window. From the Kazekage's headquarters you could clearly see the main gate. She sprinted through it, ignoring the guards, who probably didn't care when people left the village, towards the forest, her shoulder numbing from the pain.

She hated herself for running. Who knew what would happen to that boy? She wondered where the other jinchuriki were. She ran into the forest, leaping from branch to branch. Her teeth clenched. Why was she so alone? Why didn't anybody care?

She wasn't looking where she was going. She was going so quickly that she ran straight into someone, smacking into them hard, losing her balance, and falling to the ground. The person she had slammed into leapt lightly from the branch she was on to the ground in front of Ryoka. Ryoka looked up at the woman and froze in recognition. It was Ameyuri Ringo, one of the Seven Great Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. She grinned wickedly.

"Hey kid, I don't know who you are, but my buddies and I haven't been able to toy with a mouse in ages. Bad luck running into me, probably the worst luck of your life, but enough chatter. Looks like you're comin' with me."


	7. 7 Pain beyond Dying

"Oi Zabuza, found some fresh meat for ya."

Zabuza turned, interested. His eyes rested on Ryoka, and he rolled his eyes.

"What a small fry. You go out and pick up this for a fight, Ringo? I think you're slipping."

"Shut up," she sighed in annoyance. "You want the kid or not?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll take care of her later. Tell Kushimaru to tie her up. We can ask if she knows anything and finish her off if she won't talk."

"Kushimaru!" Ringo called. A man with a mask and lots of blonde hair stepped forward out of the dark.

"Torturing children," he tsked. "What have we lowered ourselves to?"

"We haven't had a bloody fight in over a year," Zabuza growled.

"Then find someone who can fight back," Kushimaru said, drawing his thin weapon.

"Like who? There's nobody powerful in these parts."

"Find someone with one of those ocular abilities. I hear there's some nasty opponents with the Sharingan. I wouldn't mind killing one of them, though Byakugan wouldn't be a bad catch either."

Ringo snorted. "They're about as common as the Rinnegan, and that's practically legendary."

"If you're gonna fight someone with Rinnegan you might as well go up against a tailed beast with one hand behind your back," Zabuza retorted.

"Heard Suna's jinchuriki is pretty powerful," Kushimaru remarked, roughly pushing Ryoka against a wooden post. She gave a small cry of pain as her injured shoulder hit the rough wood.

"You'd be an idiot to go up against that boy," Ringo snapped.

Zabuza raised an eyebrow.

"That red haired boy? Is he strong?"

"I hear his own father isn't strong enough to kill him," Ringo replied.

"Isn't his father the Kazekage?" Kushimaru questioned.

Ringo nodded.

"Maybe we should go kill this kid," Zabuza suggested.

Kushimaru sighed. "More children killing," he muttered in exasperation.

"This one ain't a kid," Ringo argued. "Just a monster."

"Y-you're wrong." The three of them turned to Ryoka, who looked scared, but stared at them defiantly.

"He's not a monster," she said, her voice slightly unsteady with fear.

"Look whose acting tough," Ringo replied with a smug smile, standing up. Kushimaru shot razor wire from his fingers, binding Ryoka tightly to the post.

Ringo drew a kunai and pressed its edge against Ryoka's cheek.

"How long can you keep from crying, kiddo? You think you know what pain is?" She asked in a sweet voice. She dragged the knife against Ryoka's cheek and a jagged cut appeared, bleeding down Ryoka's face. Ryoka flinched in pain, her eyes beginning to water from the knife's prolonged edge digging into her skin.

Ringo smiled wickedly. "I'll cut again for every tear," she threatened as one fell from the corner of Ryoka's eye and danced down her cheek.

"That's one," she whispered, and stabbed the knife towards Ryoka, quickly covering the girl's mouth to drown out the screams.

—

Tsunade leapt from branch to branch just outside of Suna, slightly annoyed.

"How difficult is it to find one child?" She demanded angrily. It was obvious the girl wasn't in Suna, but there wasn't much of a trail to follow outside of it either. They'd been searching for three days.

"Tsunade-sama, look," Shizune said suddenly, stopping and examining something on the ground.

"What is it? We're in a hurry."

"I think this belonged to her," Shizune said, picking up a forehead protector off of the ground.

"What symbol is it?"

"I don't recognize it," Shizune replied, handing it to Tsunade. Tsunade took the forehead protector and tucked it into her pack.

"We can use it to trace her chakra. I think she's nearby. Lets go."

"Hai," Shizune replied, and they jumped through the trees speeding towards the trace of chakra lingering In the air.

After a moment, Tsunade raised a hand, signaling for them to stop.

"Wait, Shizune."

They hid in the trees, peering through at a cluster of four people. Shizune gasped.

"Those are...!"

"Ah," Tsunade replied. "Swordsmen o the Mist. And there's the girl, too. She fits the description."

"It's hard to tell," Shizune said sadly.

"They didn't leave much of her did they?" It was true. Ryoka was a mess of blood. Her eyes were half open, staring at the ground, her lips parted as blood dripped from between them. Criss crossing cuts ripped through her arms, torso and legs from being bound with razor wire too tight. Her wrists and lower arms were raw and bloody from struggling against her bonds, and several assorted cuts, burns, and stabs covered her body. Tsunade grit her teeth in disgust.

"Is she alive?" Ringo asked, poking the girl.

"Not much longer if she is," Kushimaru remarked.

"Ah, she's alive. This one's a fighter," Zabuza said casually, cleaning the blood off of his blade.

"Well if she lives through this she'll be a hell of a lot tougher. Think she got the message?" Ringo asked.

"Yeah, she won't be crying any time soon. How many times did you stab her with that thing, Ringo?" Zabuza questioned.

"Lost count after twenty seven. She should be grateful."

"Let's get some supplies and move out," Kushimaru suggested.

"One of us should stay behind and watch it. Just so she doesn't try anything funny."

"No need," Zabuza cut him off. "She'll be dead within the hour. Lets get out of here." The three of them gathered their supplies and put out the fire, walking away. Ringo turned back to the girl at the last moment, taking a small black band from around her finger and placing it on Ryoka's. A wolf eye glowed white in the center.

"Maybe with this you'll have better luck in the next life," she said. "Sorry you were the one that was in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Ryoka's mouth parted slightly, trying to speak past bloody lips, her mouth moving soundlessly.

"It's okay," she finally whispered. Ringo's eyes widened, but she reluctantly backed away and joined her comrades, shaking her head. The child must have been driven to insanity. Nobody in their right mind could forgive their torturers.

She left with the other two, immediately vanishing into the trees.

As soon as they left, Tsunade and Shizune jumped down. Shizune immediately cut the razor wire and reached out to catch Ryoka. The girl tried to stand, but her legs gave out beneath her. Shizune picked her up gently and Ryoka looked past her to Tsunade, who was standing a short distance away, their eyes locking for a moment before Ryoka's eyes rolled back into her head and she fell unconscious.


	8. 8 Konoha At Last

Ryoka woke up on a mat still in the woods. Tsunade was peering down at her, hands on her hips.

"Are you well?" She demanded.

Ryoka sat up, her entire body screaming in protest. Her hand went to her stomach, but that movement caused her agony as well. She looked at Tsunade and Shizune with distrust, her eyes glaring at them with intense ferocity.

"She's changed since the past three days," Shizune said. "It's likely she won't talk to either of us."

"Ah," Tsunade confirmed. "She's definitely different."

"You may or may not remember, but those were three of the Great Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist," Shizune informed her gently.

Ryoka continued glaring at them. Of course she remembered.

Tsunade's expression softened slightly.

"We will take you to Konoha. You're training to become a ninja, right?" Tsunade took the forehead protector out of her pocket and offered it to Ryoka. Ryoka's eyes widened slightly and she painstakingly reached out her bandaged fingers to touch the forehead protector. Tsunade guided it into her hand so she could wrap her fingers around it.

"Konoha?" Shizune questioned.

"Ah, they have an excellent ninja academy there," Tsunade replied.

"Suna is closer," Shizune objected, and that blonde girl..."

"We don't need that money, Shizune. We are taking her to Konoha. And that is final."

"H-hai, Tsunade-sama."

They left after three days. Shizune had strongly advised against it, since Ryoka was hardly in perfect condition, but it was clear that the girl had no intention of staying. She had healed more than they realized, thanks to the seven tails locked within her. It took two and a half days to reach Konoha. Upon arriving, Tsunade insisted on Ryoka using her old home, a small but cozy home that would have no expenses due to her reputation.

Ryoka hadn't said a word since she had woken up. It wasn't that she was still angry, but she felt empty. Like words weren't worth her energy anymore. She half believed she wouldn't be able to speak even if she tried. She turned around to face Shizune and Tsunade at the front porch of the house she'd been provided.

"I had you enrolled in the Ninja Academy here," Tsunade said, hands on her hips. "Become strong, don't let us down."

Ryoka met Tsunade's eyes and nodded, radiating confidence and determination.

She took the wolf eye ring from her finger, offering it as thanks to Tsunade, but the woman shook her head, declining.

"Just remember that you owe me one. I have a feeling this won't be the last time we meet."

Ryoka frowned slightly but returned the ring to her finger.

Tsunade gave an approving smile, and turned, vanishing with Shizune close behind.


	9. 9 Journey to be a Shinobi

Ryoka entered the small house, basically made up of three rooms; a bedroom, a living room, and a small kitchen. Perfect for one person. Ryoka found an envelope on the bed and realized that Tsunade had left her completed registration papers along with the supplies and instructions she would need. Her eyes narrowed. Tomorrow would be her first day. How soon. She tossed the papers on the nightstand and laid on her bed, eyes open. She should sleep, she knew, but every time she closed her eyes, horrors twisted through her mind. Nightmares of her family and friends being slaughtered, of the Swordsmen taunting her with their knives, inflicting a new scar with every tear she shed, and a darker, lurking horror she felt in her mind, an evil presence that reeked with malice that had yet to make itself apparent. She knew it was the seven tails. She could sense it with every fiber of her being. It was there, an it was full of a hatred that lay in wait. Knowing sleep would not come, she opened the window and climbed to the roof, standing at the top and tilting her head to look up at the moon, almost completely obscured by rain clouds that night. The cool breeze blew her hair away from her face. A raindrop landed on her cheek, sliding down her cheek and dripping from her chin, soon followed by another. The rain wasn't heavy, just a few drops here and there, with the occasional flash of lightning. It would be gone by morning.

She wondered if that boy, Gaara, was still alone. Would he keep trying to approach people? Would he fight to be acknowledged? She closed her eyes, looking down at the damp roof beneath her feet. She would've approached him, and acknowledged him. Had she not been so reckless, attacking the Kazekage of all people, perhaps she could have even befriended him, one jinchuriki to another. She knew what tomorrow would be like. They would watch her with those eyes, those cruel eyes that judged without knowing, or without bothering to care. But that didn't matter. She would become strong, strong enough to satisfy Tsunade. Strong enough to protect Kyoka. Kyoka. Her little sister was all she had left. She had no friends, no family, not even a strong body. She looked at her bandaged arms. The scars were finally fading to faint silvery lines that would hopefully vanish over time. She looked back at the sky, at the few stars that were peeking out through the clouds. She could only hope to become strong. There was no point in living if she couldn't protect her sister. She was worth nothing. Why else would she be so hated by the people around her?

Ryoka took a deep breath, standing perfectly still on the roof, accepting loneliness and keeping her gaze expressionless as the night wore on.

The next morning came, and Ryoka shifted her weight slightly, noticing the early colors of dawn showing from over the horizon. She went into the house, changed into her combat clothes, and got ready to walk the short distance to the academy. She had a feeling it would be a long day.

"Class, this is Nadeshiko Ryoka. She is transferring here, and will be graduating with the rest of you. Please be sure to introduce yourselves if you get the chance." Her teacher, Iruka-sensei, seemed kind enough, though she would have preferred not to be introduced. Any attention focused on her made her nervous.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto! And I'm going to be the Hokage-!" The boy that had spoken was cut off by a girl punching him in the head.

"Naruto! You don't introduce yourself now!" She growled in exasperation.

"Sakura-chan," he moaned, clutching his head. She turned to face a dark hair boy next to her.

"Isn't that right, Sasuke-kun?" She gushed. He didn't answer, just staring forward as if bored. Ryoka felt a slight pain in her heart. Saki and Sakura. They acted the same, and their names were similar too. She saw Kohaku in Sasuke as well, in that laid-back, cool attitude. She kept her emotion under control, reminding herself that Saki and Kohaku were dead. These were two other people.

"Please take your seat, Nadeshiko-San," Iruka said, gesturing to an empty desk in the back by a window.

"You will be behind Naruto-kun and next to Shikamaru-kun.

She took her seat and glanced out the window. Konoha's landscape was different from her old village's, and from Suna. Mountains and forests were everywhere. She rested her chin in her hand, watching a bird flit from a flower to a tree.

"Alright, today we will be practicing cloning, so I want the class to come to the front, two at a time and form a clone. Since we are well into the year, most of you should have it perfected."

"Ne, ne, Iruka-sensei," Naruto interrupted. "can we do shadow clones instead? Normal clones are harder."

"No," Iruka said with a frown. "Just Bunshin no jutsu this time. Alright, first up, Ino and Sakura!"

Ryoka shot a sideways glance towards Naruto. So this boy knew of shadow clones? And could complete them as well. She wondered how he had learned it. He wasn't a Genin yet after all.

Ino and Sakura glared at each other competitively but got up, performing their clones almost perfectly, before sitting back down. In pairs people were called to the front, most performing clones with slight differences like hair and eye color. Naruto's could barely stand, but other than that was passable.

"Nadeshiko-San and Sasuke-San."

Ryoka felt Sasuke shoot her a sideways glance, but she didn't look at him, keeping her eyes trained forward as she silently stood and walked to the front of the classroom. They both formed the seals at the exact same time, and she heard Sasuke say, "Bunshin no Jutsu!" At the same time she said it firmly in her head. Perfect clones of themselves appeared, and all the girls in the class gushed, cheering and applauding Sasuke.

"Good job," Iruka said. "Next!"

After the cloning practice they were given a written quiz.

"How troublesome," she heard the boy next to her, Shikamaru, she recalled, sigh.

"Daiijobu, Shikamaru, it's just a quiz," said a large boy with red cheeks and several snacks assorted around him.

"Seriously, Shikamaru," A blonde girl with long hair and blue eyes complained, turning to face him.

"You're the smartest one here, so you shouldn't be worried. Look at Naruto."

Naruto was slumped over his desk, depressed vibes radiating from him.

A sigh was Shikamaru's only response, and the three turned to the front as the papers were handed back.

The quiz was simple, something Ryoka had learned in her own village while training. Once papers were passed back, it was time to train outside in pairs. Ryoka hoped they wouldn't be choosing partners. Nobody there was familiar to her.

"Stay in the pairs you did clones with and get ready for combat!" Iruka sensei ordered. There were moans from all the girls that looked at Sasuke longingly, and a couple even shot Ryoka jealous looks. Sasuke faced Ryoka, his stance relaxed. When Iruka gave the signal to start, neither of them moved. Sasuke's eyes narrowed and he took a defensive stance.

"Come," he said, his voice dark. Her lips twitched in the ghost of a smile. She stayed where she was. His eye twitched. "If you don't attack, I will." She almost gave a snappy retort, but she bit her tongue and took a stance.

Some of the the pairs had already been decided by the first blow. Shikamaru and the large boy, Choji, apparently Had barely even out up a fight. Naruto had lost against Kiba in an instant. Only two pairs were still fighting. Sakura and Ino, desperately trying to outdo one another, and Sasuke and Ryoka, who hadnt even exchanged the first blow. Iruka sensei called Sakura and Ino's match a draw before they seriously injured one another, and just like that, they were the last ones. Everyone else was watching. "Sasuke-kun!" The girls cheered.

"Aren't you going to start?" Iruka asked with a frown. In an instant, Sasuke vanished, appearing behind Ryoka in a blur, his hand reaching out towards her neck.

"She's done for," one of the girls whispered. "Nobody can beat Sasuke," another said.

"Baka!" Naruto interrupted. "Sasuke isn't that great." He crossed his arms.

He's fast, Ryoka thought. When his hand just barely brushed her neck she rolled, landing in a crouch. Surprised that she had dodged, he landed and whirled around, throwing three shuriken at her with precise aim. She caught one in each hand, the third one in her teeth, and hurled two of them back at him. She spat out the third one and stepped on it so that it sank half way into the ground.

He moved more cautiously this time. Apparently it was the first time he hadn't won in an instant. She analyzed every move he made. He formed a seal and charged her head on. She closed her eyes. This one is a clone, she thought. She outstretched both arms, twirling a kunai around her finger and catching it on the second swing. She angled her body and jumped in a circle, the kunai eradicating a clone while her foot connected with the real one, who caught her ankle. She twisted under her leg and came up, her hand grazing his neck before he jerked out of the way. She glanced at the students. They were all watching in wonder, their mouths hanging open slightly. She swore mentally. She didn't want anyone paying attention to her. She instinctively dodged his next punch, but then decided that she shouldn't stand out anymore. She moved back in line of the hit and Sasuke's eyes widened slightly in surprise. He tackled her to the ground, holding her pinned. Only he had seen that it was on purpose. He stared at her, his hand around her neck, his knee against her stomach.

Her lips twitched upwards in a smile.

"Why would you-?" She stood up, pushing him off, and discreetly returned to the rest of the class while the girls swarmed Sasuke.

He was glaring past them, searching for her, but she had gotten good at hiding. It was a way of life for Shadow Ninja. A true ninja didn't take credit for wins, but took the blame for losses. That's what she intended to do. The class bell rang and she slipped out of the school grounds, deciding to go for a walk. It wasn't like she had anything better to do. Walking through town, she felt the glares and whispers follow her, adults wondering who the strange girl with gold eyes was. The familiar ache of loneliness returned to her chest, throbbing painfully, but she ignored it, walking with her hands in her pockets. Crossing a high road, she saw Sasuke at a dock, blowing fireballs across a lake. She paused, watching him with curiosity. she glanced behind her. That boy, Naruto, was walking this way too. She moved of of the side of the road, walking through the forest. Maybe over time she would be acknowledged. Deciding to train, she walked to a clearing. If she wanted to be strong, she couldn't waste any time. She would become the strongest ninja. Stronger than even the five kages perhaps. If that's what it took to protect Kyoka, she would do it.

That reminded her. Kyoka's birthday was soon. She didn't have any money. She looked at the wolf eye ring. Maybe that would be a suitable gift. She frowned slightly. Then again, it was a reminder of the three days she had been tortured. If Kyoka asked for the story behind it things could get complicated. Ryoka turned as a twig snapped behind her. Sasuke was standing above her in a tree, eyes narrowed slightly.

"Why didn't you dodge it?" He asked coolly. She didn't answer, watching him warily.

"Do you think you can beat me?" She blinked. His hands an mouth were slightly burnt. A voice called from the distance.

"Sasuke!" Sasuke turned slightly.

"Nii-San," he murmured. He threw Ryoka one last look before vanishing into the trees.

The weeks passed slowly and painstakingly. Ryoka's skill increased with remarkable speed, but wasn't satisfied. She had to work harder. She learned the names of her classmates quickly, but didn't get very close to them. They kept their distance as well, something she had grown accustomed to. It was one day she heard whispers around her and was surprised at what she heard.

"Did you hear about Sasuke-kun?"

"I heard the Uchiha clan was killed."

"He's the only survivor."

"Do you think he's okay?"

Ryoka glanced at Sasuke. He was staring straight ahead, elbows resting on the desk with his chin in his hands. So there was another now who had lost their family. She didn't sympathize for him. He would get strong because of it. She knew firsthand what he was feeling.

She walked home slowly that day, sitting on a bench. She noticed Sakura coming her direction. Figuring she would simply continue walking by, Ryoka stayed where she was. She was surprised when she saw the pink haired girl sit next to her, sighing into the palm of her hand.

"Ne, Nadeshiko-chan, did you hear about Sasuke-kun?"

Ryoka didn't answer. She hadn't spoken in once since coming to Konoha.

"I want to be there for Sasuke-kun, but he keeps pushing me away. I think... I think I love him. Have you ever loved someone?" She asked, her green eyes looking up to meet Ryoka's. She answered herself.

"Of course you have, you probably love your mom and dad, right?"

Ryoka winced. Sakura's eyes widened slightly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to assume anything."

Ryoka just looked away.

"Well, I think... I just need someone who will listen. I don't want to argue with Ino over him, and I don't want to flirt with the other girls, but I noticed you don't seem to love him, so I thought it might be okay if I talked to you."

She looked at Ryoka questioningly, worry in her bright green eyes.

Ryoka gave a small nod, and listened as Sakura told her everything, from the day she met Sasuke and Ino, an her life from then on. Ryoka didn't interrupt once, letting her speak. When the girl was finished she was almost in tears. Ryoka had no idea why Sakura thought talking to her was a good idea, but she listened, trying to see Sakura's side of the story. To her, Sakura's life seemed ridiculously simple. Of course, her family friends and village had been slaughtered, her sister was in temporary care, she had tried to kill the Kazekage, and she had been tortured to near death. She didn't know how her life could get more complicated. She tried to imagine Sakura's life, a girl whose biggest worry was how to comfort the boy she loved. She blinked in surprise as she felt Sakura lean against her, and she stayed very still. She turned to Sakura, who met her eyes, gold to green. She gave Sakura a soft reassuring smile and put a hand on her shoulder, knowing words wouldn't comfort the girl. Sakura's eyes widened, and her face brightened.

"Arigato, Nadeshiko-chan," he said, wiping away a stray tear. "I guess I just needed to tell someone."

She stood and turned, waving over her shoulder. Ryoka took a few steps back, vanishing into the shadows before heading home.

Ryoka began to notice some of the students talking to her after about two months of school. She didn't understand why. She acted like she always did, avoiding people and staying inconspicuous, and she still hadn't uttered a single word since arriving. When the teacher asked her to answer a question she didn't respond, which confused and slightly angered Iruka at first, but over time he accepted it, perhaps because her grades remained high. Maybe it was because she didn't speak. People felt like sharing their problems because they knew she would listen but wouldn't judge or spite them for it. Either way, it made Ryoka uncomfortable to be sought out by people. So far, Sakura had told her about Sasuke, Ino had talked to her about Sakura, Hinata had talked to her, very briefly, about Naruto, and even Rock Lee and Neji had briefly spoken their concerns. It confused her to no end, but she accepted it and kept training hard. At least it helped ease her loneliness, even if it wasn't by much.

She still couldn't sleep, now certain that her insomnia was caused by the seven tails. This caused the rings around her eyes to darken, but it wasn't very prominent. It just made her eyes more defined. Made her look slightly more feline. Her hair had grown as well. Now it was well past he elbows. She would have to cut it soon before it got in the way of her training. For now she just braided it into a single braid and let her bangs hang as they were. She still stood on the roof every night, no matter what the weather, since the stars convinced her she wasn't in a world of darkness.

Soon, she would be a Genin. She didn't care what her class was as long as she was officially a shinobi. Even a Genin could train to be more powerful than a Jounin. Just a few more weeks before she would let herself wear her brother's forehead protector. Then she would have to leave Konoha. Neither Suna nor Konoha had felt like home, and her home was gone. She had decided to wander from village to village, getting stronger until she felt satisfied she could protect what she loved. That thought in mind, she sat on the roof, just as Sasuke appeared before her on the roof. She had noticed him becoming darker as time passed, but wasn't surprised. He had lost his family like her after all.

She lazily flicked her eyes up to him.

Her silent question was clear. What do you want?

"Fight me," he said. She leaned back against the roof, clearly having no intention whatsoever of doing so.

"You are the only one who has a chance of equaling me. I want to become stronger. Fight me."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, seeing through his actions. He didn't want to protect. He wanted revenge. Something else had happened. A betrayal. He was out for blood, and power was his first goal to get it. She slowly shook her head, her eyes softening.

"Why not?" He asked coolly. She didn't answer, same as the countless other times people had questioned her.

"You are strong, but you don't show it. You can fight, but you choose not to. You can speak, but you don't say a word," he accused. She stood up slowly.

"I don't want a battle. I just want a match, and I don't want you to hold back."

She stared at him emotionlessly for a moment and gave a curt nod.

"Oi!" A voice called from the ground.

"If you two are fighting it out, mind if we join?"

Sasuke and Ryoka turned to see Ino and Kiba watching them.

Ryoka nodded, much to Sasuke's displeasure, but he made no comment. They went to a clearing surrounded by trees in the training grounds and the four faced each other.

"Let's team up," Kiba suggested. "Me, Akamaru, and Nadeshiko versus you and Ino," he said, trying to even out the skill level. They nodded and Kiba stood next to Nadeshiko.

"If you let Sasuke get you pinned I can attack from the side. Ino's got a nasty mind transfer technique, so try to catch her as soon as I get Sasuke. After that, I'll follow your lead, ok?"

Ryoka nodded, grabbing a shuriken. Sasuke met her eyes darkly. He would attack her first. Kiba faked attacking Ino and Sasuke appeared behind Ryoka. She whirled around, bringing her fist towards his neck, knowing he would catch it. He grabbed her wrist and she suppressed a smile as his other hand shoved against her neck and slammed her into the ground.

"Gatsuga!" A voice yelled as Kiba slammed into Sasuke. Sasuke was thrown back, startled, and Ryoka dashed towards Ino. The girl had already formed a foreign seal, and her lips were moving to perform the technique. It hit Ryoka dead on. Ryoka stopped where she was, feeling Ino's presence fight for control in her mind. Ryoka panicked for an  
instant. If Ino took over her mind it would be disastrous. It would force Ino to battle the seven tails, and kill the blonde I they weren't compatible. A blood chilling growl rumbled from the depths of her mind and Ino paused, uncertain. A sudden crushing agony in Ryoka's head made both girls cringe. Ino had her hands on her head, moaning, whole Ryoka had one eye closed, trying to keep the pain under control. She felt Ino release the jutsu and stumble back.

"What the hell-?!"

Ryoka stood up, the pain fading away, and disappeared, reappearing behind Ino and tripping up the confused blonde. Meanwhile, Sasuke had gotten Kiba pinned to the ground.

Ryoka tackled Sasuke, pushing him off and exposing them in the moonlight. He flipped over, so that he was the one pinning her, and his eyes widened.

"Stop," he said. Ino an Kiba froze. He glared at Ryoka.

"Who did this to you?" He asked her darkly. She stared back impassively. He lifted one of her arms, where silver scars criss crossed from her wrist to her shoulder, throbbing slightly beneath his grip.

Ino and Kiba walked over.

"Oi, Sasuke, what are you talking about?" Kiba complained. "Things were just getting interesting."

"Look at this," he said, raising Ryoka's arm. Ino squinted in the dark, trying to see what he was talking about, but Ryoka jerked her arm away, shoving Sasuke off her much more roughly than she ever had before. She pulled on her jacket from where she had left it by a boulder and zipped it halfway, obscuring her skin. The scars would be gone within a week. She just had to let them heal until then, and nobody would know. She backed away from them, and turned, jumping into the trees and heading back to the house. She didn't want them to know anything about her.

"What was it, Sasuke-kun?" Ino asked curiously.

Sasuke stared at the spot where Ryoka had disappeared.

"Nothing," he said finally. "It was nothing."


	10. 10 Graduation

**Author's Note: Sorry this chapter is short, but I wanted this part to have an impact, so bear with me. i promise the next one will be longer.**

Ryoka walked to school, more excited than she had been in a while. She would be graduating today. As of today she was officially going to be a ninja. Majority of the students had passed the test, and today they would be receiving their forehead protectors. She would have to tell the Jounin she was assigned to that she wouldn't be on a team. She would be leaving Konoha. Tomorrow was Kyoka's birthday after all. She walked up to Konoha Ninja Academy silently, slipping into her classroom unnoticed and taking her seat in the back by the window. As soon as everyone was there they would go to the main hall to receive their ninja license and forehead protectors.

Iruka sensei took roll, and soon after told everyone to follow him. Once in the main hall, they lined up by what Ryoka assumed would be their teams.

"Everyone, listen up," Iruka said loudly.

"You will be given your license and forehead protector by the Jounin that you will be assigned to. After that, please stay quiet while the Hokage tells you what your teams will be. Congratulations to all of you, I am very proud."

The class stood a bit straighter at Iruka's words. They didn't have to wait long before several high ranking ninja entered the hall, standing in a line in front of them. After the formal introductions, the Jounins approached their future teams.

Ryoka saw a man with kind eyes, black hair and a cigarette in his mouth approach Shikamaru right next to her.

"Congrats, Shikamaru," he said. "I'm Sarutobi Asuma, as you probably know." Shikamaru gave a rueful grin.

"How troublesome," he said jokingly, accepting the forehead protector.

"You're Nadeshiko-San, right?"

Ryoka turned her gaze from Shikamaru to the man in front of her. He was tall, but stood in a relaxed manner. His hair was silver, and stuck up in an odd manner, due to the awkward position of his forehead protector, which was angled to cover one of his eyes. He wore a mask over the bottom of his face, leaving only one eye visible to her. That eye smiled down at her.

"Nice to meet you." He offered her the Konoha forehead protector, fingerless gloves on his hands. She looked at it for a moment, then took her brother's forehead protector out of her pocket, watching it. Did she really have to choose between them?

Her hesitance didn't go unnoticed.

"Do you already have one?" He questioned casually, peering at the symbol. He froze and his visible eye widened.

"The Village of Shadows, huh?" He questioned, skillfully hiding his shock.

Her head snapped up. How did he know of her village?

"Well I can see why you would want to wear the symbol of your hometown," he said kindly. "Here."

He took the silver konoha plate off of the headband and slipped it underneath the plate with the Shadow village symbol so that it fit snugly in between the metal and the forehead protector.

"There," he said cheerfully. "Now it doesn't look different, but its twice as strong." He offered her his hand.

"I'm Hatake Kakashi, nice to meet you."

Ryoka gasped out loud, stumbling away from the Jounin. Her brother's last words... Go to Konoha. Ask for Kakashi.

"I presume you are Nadeshiko Kisuke's little sister, then?" He questioned quietly. She struggled to keep her expression passive, but a jolt of pain stabbed through her at the mention of her brother's name.

"I suppose it makes more sense now. I see the resemblance. I presume you'll be leaving Konoha shortly?"

She nodded, steadying herself.

"Alright, listen carefully. I knew your brother as a child, but that isn't important. His final request of me was to make sure both you and your sister live, but remain free. If you are traveling place to place, it's best if people don't remember your face." He took a mask identical to his own out from his pocket. "This was your brother's as a child but it should fit you now. Don't tell anyone who you are from. Do you have a specific goal in mind?"

She gave a slight shrug, but nodded, an idea forming.

"Alright, I'll rearrange the team lists so that you aren't on a team. Are you sure you wish to leave? Konoha would be a good home." She gave a firm nod. She dust have a home. It was a foreign concept to her now.

"Best of luck, Nadeshiko-San. I'm truly sorry about your village, and I don't know how much you are suffering, but try to do good and help others so that they don't have to feel the same pain."

She nodded, giving him a grateful look.

He had given much more than she had hoped, an now she was on her own. She took the mask and ran out of the main hall, ignoring the others' surprised looks. She pulled the mask on and tied her forehead protector around her head. Finally, she thought. Sayonara, Konoha.


	11. 11 Wanderer

**Author's Note: I'd just like to thank everyone who has been reviewing and following this, since it really was a nice surprise. From now on I'll do my best to update every other day, and maybe two chapters at a time if one of them is short. Y'all are the best (:**

Ryoka spent two years traveling from village to village. More often than not, there would be someone in a tight spot, whom she could discreetly help before fading back into the shadows. She had almost revealed herself the first time she had stepped into a fight, realizing that Zabuza, one of her torturers, was fighting Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. The three of them most likely had no idea she had interfered in that fight, staying under cover and using her jutsu to knock every needle just slightly off course, enough for them to miss vital spots that would've killed them. She still wasn't completely convinced Zabuza had a change of heart for that boy, Haku, but he was dead, so she wasn't going to over think it. It was what it was. That battle had made her realize what she wanted to do.

She wanted to help everyone in their battles, unnoticed, just enough to spare a life, or better a circumstance. She refused to interfere with fights involving pride. Adults seemed sensitive to what was fair, and she knew better than to interfere in a fight where one's pride was at stake. Instead, she protected victims. People being picked on, families about to be separated, and villains attacking for their selfish reasons. That was her new area of expertise. Over the first year however, she realized that she was more recognizable than she had thought. She had a rare run in with Temari again, and the blonde just had time to open her mouth to speak when Ryoka had vanished. That led her to change her attire, simply to stay unnoticed, as the last ninja of the Village of Shadows should be. Now instead of simple everyday clothes she wore a black halter top with a white undershirt, black pants and grey combat boots that almost reached her knee. Instead of a braid, she kept her hair loose, letting her side swept bangs fall over the symbol of her forehead protector. She started to wear fingerless gloves once her hands started bleeding from using kunai and shuriken so often. The mask Kakashi had given her took care of her face, so her only recognizable feature were her black rimmed eyes, that shined an unnatural gold, but there was nothing she could do about that.

After two years of protecting people, regardless of village, country, skill, or any other defining factor, word of her was beginning to spread. Stories and rumors of a Wanderer, protecting people in their time of need, spread through the shinobi world. Ryoka didn't mind the nickname. After all, the only thing people knew about 'wanderer' was that she had gold eyes. She knew that it would most likely end as a tale mothers told their children before sleeping, or perhaps 'wanderer' would be believed to be a spirit that watched over people. Either way, it didn't lead to her.

Ryoka walked slowly to the small village she had seen three times so far. It was April again, and the time had come as it did every year. She stopped outside of the bakery from so long ago, carefully peering through the window. A small blonde girl with rosy cheeks was sitting a a desk, humming softly to herself. Ryoka pulled a small box out of her pocket. Kyoka was seven now. She carefully and silently climbed to the window and put the box on the ledge like she had for three years. She never left a name, knowing it would just make her sister more curious, but maybe Kyoka would know that Wanderer was looking out for her, too. It had been a year ago that Ryoka had last visited Kyoka. Kyoka didn't remember her, which hurt more than it should have, but Ryoka convinced herself it was for the best.

"Wanderer-sama?"

Ryoka swore silently. She'd been so lost in thought that she hadn't noticed Kyoka come over and open the window. She watched Kyoka's face for a moment, unable to resist seeing how much her sister had grown. Her face had lost some of its roundness, slightly more ovular, and her hair had gotten longer and wavier.

"Are you the one who brings me presents on my birthday?" Kyoka asked, her innocent eyes wide.

"I just wanted to thank you. They really make me happy." Ryoka started to back away, but Kyoka said one least thing.

"Momma told me I had a sister once, but that she died when I was really little. I think if I had a sister, I'd want her to be like you, Wanderer-sama."

Ryoka turned abruptly, dropping to the ground and vanishing. Those words... They had way too much of an impact on her. They made the ache in her chest throb painfully. She had to leave. She ran through the trees on the border of the village, hardly noticing as the landscape changed from trees and grassy hills to dry and cracked ground. She stopped when she realized where she was. Suna. The only place she hadn't been to since inheriting the title of Wanderer. She wasn't allowed here. She had been banned at six years old. She started to back away when she collided with something, or more precisely, someone. She whirled around, only to find herself staring into the cold and unforgiving eyes of Gaara, the jinchuriki.


	12. 12 A Debt Repaid

**Author's Note: Hey everyone, here's the next two chapters, I hope you enjoy them. Please feel free to review and give me constructive criticism and new ideas. The plot is pretty flexible, so if you have an idea let me know! **

He stood there, arms crossed, eyes glaring at her like she had murdered his world and slaughtered everyone dear to him. She paused, feeling a gritty substance against her back. So she hadn't run into him. She'd run into a wall of sand that had sprung up between them.

They stood silently, staring each other down. Ryoka tried to keep her expression calm despite the adrenaline surging through her. He looked dead. Heartless. No longer the child who sought to be acknowledged. The kanji for love was bright red on his forehead, the same shade as his hair. Her eyes narrowed slightly as his lips twitched upwards in an insane smile.

"Okaa-San," he murmured, his eyes becoming bloodshot. "...wants blood."

"Gaara!" Ryoka looked past the jinchuriki at two figures running towards them. One she easily recognized as Temari, her attire having changed slightly, but those four spiky pigtails were unmistakable. The other one was a boy wearing black attire and purple war paint donning his face in strange patterns. Ryoka frowned slightly. She would never understand the fashion trends of Suna. Gaara seemed devoid of hearing. He raised a hand and sand shot towards Ryoka, which she quickly dodged, rolling into a crouch. Ryoka's heart stopped as she heard a dark, evil voice in the back of her mind, reverberating through her entire body.

_So we meet again, Shukaku_, the voice growled deeply, full of malice. Gaara paused for a moment, his expression slightly puzzled, as if he wasn't sure about wanting blood anymore. Ryoka grabbed her head as the seven tails roared in fury in her mind. _I will kill you! Shukaku!_

Temari and the purple painted person grabbed Gaara's arms, trying to drag him back.

"Get out of here!" The boy snarled at Ryoka. Gaara was struggling, his eyes wide and bloodshot, moans escaping his lips. Ryoka stood shakily, trying to focus past the roaring in her mind, and stumbled towards the trees, trying to cross Suna's border. She made it to the forest and climbed a tree, sitting with her back against the cool bark, her head pounding with the seven tail's painful outbursts.

_Stop_, she said forcefully, feeling for the seal that wrapped around her ankle. She took off her shoe, pushing up the fabric of her pants. The seal was glowing slightly.

_I'll kill him!_ It roared, making her hand go to her head.

_Stop!_ She said a bit more forcefully.

The beast paused for a moment, acknowledging her words for the first time. _I'll kill you too, kid, _it snarled_. Those elders thought they could seal me in a child like you, but you can't contain me and they're dead. I will be free soon, and there will be nothing left of you._

_You're wrong,_ she snapped back, her head pounding from the effort.

_You're weak. You ran from Shukaku's jinchuriki._

She shook her head in denial. _I didn't run from him! I'm not afraid of him! The purple painted one told me to leave!_

_Excuses,_ it snarled. _I'll lay low for now, but this isn't over. I'll tear you to pieces so you'll never wander again._

With that final oath it retreated to the back of her mind. Ryoka fell forward, using her hands to brace herself against the tree. The beast had been getting bolder lately. The seal always weakened when there was no moon, and the full moon was a full two weeks away. She allowed herself a moment to recover before tiredly getting to her feet. She swore she would help that jinchuriki if it killed her. He wouldn't be alone. Because the Wanderer wouldn't run away from anyone, especially one of her own kind.

Three years passed smoothly for the most part. At least, as smoothly as things can go for a traveling shinobi.

Unfortunately stories of the Wanderer's true identity had yet to fade away, and there were even a few shinobi looking for her specifically to request help. Ryoka however, though she was only twelve, was never found unless she wanted to be. If the shinobi searching for her interested her, or if she noticed them on a good day, she felt slightly more inclined to help them, though that was rare.

She was surprised to have been tracked successfully on her return journey from dropping off Kyoka's annual birthday present. No sooner had she dropped from the window when she turned to see a familiar face watching her, arms crossed, a fidgety woman and a pig at her side. Tsunade.

Ryoka frowned slightly, but knew better than to hide from this one. She owed Tsunade, and had been waiting to pay this debt.

"Who would have thought you'd turn out this well," Tsunade said, a trace of smugness in her tone.

Ryoka crossed her arms, facing the two shinobi. She had learned of Tsunade's fame as one of the three legendary Sannin. It made sense that this woman had been able to track her.

"We had quite a hard time finding you," Tsunade continued, and Shizune's expression told Ryoka that they'd had more than a little trouble.

Shizune looked at Tsunade nervously. "Are you sure it's her, Tsunade-sama? It's hard to tell with the mask, and we didn't know so much as her name when we last saw her."

"Ah," Tsunade said. "The reason she isn't gone yet is because she owes us. I suppose you want to know what I want you for?" Tsunade guessed. Ryoka gave a short nod.

"I need you to participate in the upcoming Chuunin Exams."

Ryoka raised an eyebrow, wondering how on earth this woman would benefit from something like that.

"There are signs that something is amiss in Suna, and I have a feeling something is being planned. I need a powerful shinobi that can protect innocent lives in case something goes wrong." Ryoka frowned slightly. As far as she knew, Tsunade didn't think much of protecting Konoha. She had a feeling this had more to do with someone she was close to, perhaps Jiraiya or Orochimaru, the other two Sannin.

"So, basically, I am asking you to return to Konoha and participate in the exams. I arranged it so that you will be on Suna's team. Watch them closely. Your entry was late, so there will be four of you on one team, but it should work out in the end."

Ryoka nodded, uneasy. She preferred to have very little to do with Suna since she was banned. The Kazekage was still alive, and he would most likely watch the exams along with the Hokage. If he realized who she was... Ryoka sighed. She was walking into a complicated mess and she knew it.

"We will spend the next few months getting you ready. Talented as you are, there are some people you must be prepared to fight and beat."

Ryoka gave another nod.

"Are you comfortable training yourself? I will also supervise. It is essential that you be ready." Ryoka felt slightly sick. She always fought to assist, without confronting people one on one. She'd never picked a fight before. She wondered if she could handle fighting an opponent. Apparently she didn't have much of a choice. She nodded. Tsunade vanished and Ryoka followed, her pace even. She had a strange feeling she wouldn't be returning to her life as a wanderer.


	13. 13 Return to Konoha

Ryoka followed Temari and Kankuro towards Konoha. Gaara was out of sight. She walked silently, still wondering if Temari recognized her from long ago. She doubted it. Thanks to Tsunade she already knew the names and abilities of majority of the people participating in the exams. It had surprised her more than she would like to admit when she'd realized that she would be on a team with these three. She'd also been surprised when she had found out they were siblings. Ryoka tried to suppress the dislike she was feeling towards Temari. The fact that Gaara was her younger brother and she still had judged and feared him repulsed her.

They entered Konoha much easier than expected, with no guards to stop them.

"Security sure seems loose here," Kankuro muttered.

"That's because we have travel passes," Temari replied curtly. They rounded a corner and walked down the path, stopping to determine which direction to go next.

"Nadeshiko, give this alert to the Hokage. He should know we have arrived."

Ryoka nodded, accepting the slip of paper, and vanished. Not wanting to be separated from the group, she made a shadow clone, quickly passing the message on to it and sending it on its way. She returned quickly, stopping in a tree, up high in the branches. Glancing down, her heart almost stopped when she saw Gaara standing there, upside down on the branch she was resting on. He looked at her, but kept his arms crossed, black rimmed eyes shifting down to focus on what was happening below. Temari and Kankuro had stopped, standing still as a boy wearing a long scarf and goggles ran forwards without looking, straight into Kankuro, who didn't move an inch. The kid bounced off and fell to the ground with a startled shout. Kankuro crossed his arms, glaring down at the kid.

"That hurt," he said icily, his voice dark.

"Eh?"

Ryoka watched in mild surprise as Naruto and Sakura approached with two other kids, looking slightly shocked and concerned. They had grown. Sakura's hair had gotten longer, though she still seemed hesitant and shy, while Naruto basically looked the same, except for the Konoha forehead protector that replaced the goggles he had previously worn.

Kankuro picked the boy up by the shirt, a smug smile on his face as the kid struggled.

"Konohamaru!" Naruto exclaimed.

"That hurt, brat," Kankuro repeated.

"Stop it," Temari cut in, turning her head to the side. "We're going to get scolded later."

Sakura clasped her hands hands together worriedly.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, " we were just joking around, so..." She trailed off, her eyes afraid.

Naruto balled his hands into fists.

"Oi! Let go of Konohamaru!" He yelled angrily. Kankuro's smile widened.

"Heh. But I want to play around before other people come," he smirked, his eyes moving to the struggling child in his grasp. The kid, Konohamaru, kicked out at Kankuro.

"Let go!" He managed to spit out, his hands trying to loosen Kankuro's grip to no avail. Kankuro's smile faded slightly.

"You're pretty energetic, kid," He said darkly. Ryoka frowned slightly from her place in the tree, but didn't interfere. She would step in if things got bad, but so far nothing was too serious.

Naruto was shaking in anger.

"Why you...!" He charged Kankuro head on, and Kankuro's confident smile returned, his eyes dangerous. He twitched a few fingers and the boy went down, falling over his feet and landing on his back a few yards away. He sat up quickly. "What was that?" He demanded. Chakra strings, Ryoka guessed, sensing the thin lines of energy retreating back to Kankuro.

Kankuro smirked. "Konoha's Genins are weak."

His grip tightened on Konohamaru who cried out. Naruto leapt to his feet.

"Oi! If you don't let go of him, you're going to get it from me, you idiot!" He shouted, pointing an accusing finger at Kankuro. Sakura grabbed him in a headlock from behind, pulling him back.

"Your the idiot, Naruto!" She exclaimed. "Don't provoke him!"

Ryoka sighed quietly from her branch. They were all idiots. She glanced down at Gaara, who was still watching emotionlessly. Her gaze shifted to the other side of the tree as a silent figure landed on another branch. She frowned. Sasuke. He hadn't noticed them. He sat there, watching the display below, his eyes dangerous.

Kankuro's eyes shifted to Naruto and Sakura.

"You're annoying," he said darkly. "I hate short people anyway, and you're so impertinent for someone younger than me."

He curled his hand into a fist. "It makes me want to break you."

Naruto and Sakura gasped at his words.

Temari sighed.

"I'm not going to be responsible for what you do," she said indifferently, closing her eyes and looking away.

Kankuro smiled at Konohamaru.

"After this short kid," he promised, "the short kid over there is next." Naruto clenched his teeth, shaking in anger.

Kankuro drew back his fist and Naruto charged him, angrily yelling for him to stop. Ryoka frowned slightly. Maybe she shouldn't let them find out how young she was... Or that she was shorter than all three of them. The punch never hit its mark.

Ryoka glanced to the side as Sasuke grabbed a pebble and threw it with perfect accuracy. It sliced across Kankuro's arm and he dropped Konohamaru, holding his injured wrist with a snarl on his face. His eyes widening, he looked up to the tree, where Sasuke was tossing a second pebble repeatedly into the air, catching it before it fell each time. Ryoka smiled slightly at Kankuro and Temari's surprised expressions. Had they just realized Sasuke's presence? None of them had sensed her and Gaara from behind the tree yet either. Sasuke frowned slightly.

"What do you think you're doing in another's village?" He questioned darkly. Sakura looked delighted at Sasuke's presence, while Naruto looked less than pleased.

Konohamaru ran to Naruto's side and

Kankuro swore darkly. "Another kid that pisses me off," he growled.

Sasuke crushed the pebble in his hand to dust.

"Get lost," he said, eyes narrowing.

Kankuro turned to face Sasuke.

"Oi, come down here, kid. I hate kids like you who think they're so clever." Sasuke just glared back. Kankuro reached over his shoulder, tearing the wrapping off of the bundle he wore on his back. Temari gasped slightly.

"Oi! You're going to use Karasu?!" She looked shocked. Kankuro looked dead serious.

Ryoka glanced at Sasuke, who tensed, ready to fight.

"Kankuro, stop," Gaara said suddenly, his voice deadly. Everyone turned their heads in shock. Sasuke stiffened in surprise, his head slowly turning to see Gaara standing upside down behind him a few feet away. The others gasped, having not realized Gaara's presence at all. Now Ryoka was the only one that remained hidden. She stayed silent.

"You're a disgrace to our village," Gaara said icily, his arms still crossed.

Kankuro's eyes widened in fear.

"G-Gaara," he laughed nervously. Gaara watched Kankuro for a moment, and then his eyes slowly shifted to Sasuke before returning to Kankuro.

"Why do you think we came to Konoha," he questioned, the words sounding like a statement.

"L-listen, Gaara," Kankuro stuttered nervously. "...these guys started it-"

"Shut up," Gaara interrupted, his eyes narrowing. Kankuro's eyes widened in fear.

"I'll kill you." The threat was genuine.

"I-I was at fault," Kankuro said, raising his hands in front of him and taking a step back. "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry."

Gaara turned his head to Sasuke.

"Excuse them," he said darkly. They glared at each other for a moment. Suddenly Gaara disappeared in a swirl of sand, reappearing in a crouch in front of Kankuro and Temari. He stood and turned.

"Let's go. We didn't come here to fool around," he told them.

"I know," Kankuro sighed. "Where's Nadeshiko?"

Gaara looked up at the tree expectantly and Ryoka stepped forward cautiously. Everyone but Gaara stiffened in surprise.

"We're wasting time," Gaara told her coldly. She nodded, swinging down from the tree and landing next to them.

"Wait," Sasuke called, swinging to the ground. Both of you. Who are you?"

Temari turned.

"Who are you talking to?" She asked with a frown of disapproval.

"You with the gourd and you with the mask," he clarified, putting his hands in his pocket.

Gaara and Ryoka paused, turning to face Sasuke.

"Sabaku no Gaara," he said. "I am also interested in you. Who are you?"

Sasuke smiled slightly.

"Uchiha... Sasuke."

Sasuke turned to Ryoka.

"And you?" Ryoka's eyes narrowed slightly.

"She doesn't speak," Temari said.

"Really," Sasuke replied thoughtfully, his expression dark and suspicious.

"Do you know them?" Kankuro asked. She shifted her gaze to him slowly.

"What's your name?" Sasuke asked.

"It's none of your business," Temari replied.

"I'm asking her. Not you," Sasuke said.

Ryoka smiled slightly. Some people never change. She glanced at Gaara, who had paused, looking over his shoulder at Sasuke.

"Let's go," he repeated. Ryoka turned and followed Gaara, Temari and Kankuro close behind.

The four of them continued walking, turning a corner and vanishing.

"This exam's gonna be a breeze," Kankuro sighed, putting his hands behind his head.

"There'll be stronger Genins than them," Temari argued. "The exam isn't what we need to worry about anyways. Lets find where we're staying. I'm exhausted."


	14. 14 The First Exam

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! Here's the update as promised, I hope you like it.** **I'd just like to thank everyone for all of the positive reviews I've been getting; y'all have no idea how excited I get when I read what you have to say, and I really appreciate it. Please PM me or review if you have any ideas or constructive criticism. Thanks again!**

"The exams are about to start," Temari said, glancing it the clock.

"Nervous?" Kankuro questioned with a smirk.

"Of course not," she said haughtily. "Let's turn in our applications... We only have a few minutes left."

They walked to the third floor, where one of Konoha's Jounins stood waiting, blocking the doors.

"Who are you?" Gaara asked, his eyes narrowing dangerously.

Ryoka took a cautious step back. Kakashi.

"I'm Hatake Kakashi," the ninja replied, watching Gaara calmly.

"Let us pass," Kankuro said, an edge in his voice.

"Shouldn't you be admitting your own Genins?" Temari questioned seriously.

"Ah, they have already gone through. I need to speak with your fourth member for a moment."

Ryoka looked at Kakashi. She nodded at the three of them to go ahead. They paused at the doorway, turning to wait for her. She looked expectantly at Kakashi.

"I don't know what led to you being here Nadeshiko-San, but I'm glad you have decided to proceed this way. Good luck." Her gaze softened at the compliment. She took off the mask she had worn for years and handed it back to him. He looked surprised, but accepted it.

"You don't need this?" He questioned. She smiled slightly and gave a curt nod.

He put a hand on her head, his one visible eye smiling at her, and walked away from them down the hall.

"You would have been a good addition to Team 7, Nadeshiko-San. Watch out for Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke. They may be stronger than you think," he said, his back to her.

"Ja na."

He gave her a two fingered wave and vanished.

She turned to face her team and the three of them stared openly. She shot them a questioning look.

"We've never seen your face," Temari defended herself. "Don't be surprised if we are looking at you." She crossed her arms and turned away.

"Don't see why you'd wear a mask in the first place," Kankuro grumbled. "There's nothing you have to hide."

Ryoka decided to take that as a compliment and walked past them, pushing the door open. Before them was a room full of shinobi, all Genins, most of which looked hardcore and tough. They discreetly made there way to a few seats in the middle of the crowd, staying quiet. No point in making enemies at the very beginning.

Ryoka glanced at the front of the room. Nine new shinobi from Konoha were talking loudly. Ryoka frowned slightly. Nine rookies was a lot for a Chuunin Exam. Of course, she was no exception. She watched as a grey haired boy with glasses walked up to them. She blinked. Something about him bothered her. He showed them some cards, explaining something carefully. All ten of them had the entire room's attention, which wasn't exactly a good thing.

"Problem?" Temari questioned, noticing her expression. Ryoka blinked. She had forgotten that they could see her expressions now that she didn't cover her face. She shook her head.

Suddenly Naruto stood up with a yell, pointing a finger at everyone in the room, a confident, naive smile plasters on his face.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto! I'm not going to lose to any of you! Got that?!" He shouted loudly. Kankuro grinned slightly.

"That guy is the person we met a while ago," he smirked. Temari smiled.

"Weak dogs bark more often," she replied. Sakura grabbed Naruto from behind, choking him as she tried to cover for him.

"Everyone, it was joke," she said nervously. "He's a severe idiot, so... There's no need to take what a hasty idiot and a guy who gets carried away easily say seriously. Please don't worry about it." She continued to scold Naruto, and Ryoka's gaze shifted to three Sound shinobi who darted quickly through the crowd. She made eye contact with Kankuro, and he nodded, loosening the wrapping around Karasu. Gaara raised an arm in front of him, stopping him. Kankuro stopped, watching his younger brother silently. The sound ninja attacked the grey haired one, who dodged it, but fell to the ground, vomiting. Ryoka's eyes narrowed. He'd allowed that to happen. Was he a spy?

"Quiet down punks!" A voice cut through the air. There was a cloud of smoke and a man appeared before them wearing a dark trench coat and a scar running from one side of his face to the other. Several examiners stood behind him.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said easily, his eyes narrowed as he smiled at them.

"I am the examiner of the first test of the Chuunin Selection Exam, Morino Ibiki."

He pointed an accusing finger at the three sound shinobi.

"You three from the Hidden Village of Sound, don't think you can do anything you want before the exam. Do you want us to fail you already?"

One of the Sound ninjas turned slightly.

"I'm sorry," he said with insincerity. "I was excited since this is my first exam." Ryoka almost rolled her eyes. The lie was so obvious. She watched as Morino smirked, obviously not fooled.

"This is a good chance to say this," he announced. "You are not allowed to fight each other during the exam unless given permission by the examiners. Even if permission is given, you are not allowed to kill the other. Pigs who go against me will fail immediately, understood?"

After receiving no answer, he continued.

"We will now begin the first exam of the Chuunin Selection Exam. Turn in your applications. Take one of these number tags and sit where the number tells you to." He held up several cards, each with a clear number.

"Then we will pass out the papers for the written exam."

Ryoka looked down at her number. Juuichi. 11. She took her seat near the front. A boy next to her grinned, revealing pointed teeth.

"Yo," he greeted her smoothly. "I'm Furon. Nice ta meetcha." She frowned at him, wondering vaguely if he had sharpened his teeth himself or if it was some genetic disorder.

"Be careful in these exams," he said with a smirk. "Wouldn't want that pretty face to get ruined." Ryoka suddenly wished she hadn't returned the mask. People with that kind of personality annoyed her. She turned away from the arrogant Genin and focused on her job. The other members of her team were spread out behind her. She looked up sharply as Morino tapped his chalk meaningfully against the chalk board.

"There are a few important rules you should understand," he said seriously. "I will not accept any questions, so listen carefully." The Genin stiffened, everyone alert.

"First rule is you are given ten points at the start..."

Ryoka listened to the rules with growing apprehension.

One thing he said stuck in her mind.

"Those who try to cheat without thinking carefully will only hurt themselves."

She frowned. 'Try to cheat without thinking carefully'

Without thinking carefully, huh?

So... If she was thinking carefully and didn't get caught, was cheating allowed? Was it even expected?

She heard Morino give the cue to start and looked through the questions carefully. They were difficult. She only knew a few of them. No Genin would be expected to know this. She glanced up and saw an eye hovering in the corner. It seemed Gaara had caught on. She could sense his chakra within it. Strange. The eye was brown, though his were pale green. She wondered why that was. Returning her attention to her own test, she thought carefully. There were several options as to how to cheat, but these examiners were Chuunins. They wouldn't be fooled easily. She frowned slightly. She had gotten four answers. She wouldn't get a zero, and that meant her team wouldn't be taken out immediately. There had to be another trick coming. Maybe she didn't have to cheat. Not wanting to take that risk, she decided to find the answers anyway. She closed her eyes. Using jutsu with darkness was risky at best, but shinobi from her village had naturally excelled at it. She was no exception. She glanced at the clock. Thirty minutes. She could do it. She closed her eyes, focused. The lights dimmed slightly. A couple of Chuunins glanced at the light fixtures, concerned, but they had know way of knowing she had caused it. She didn't dare open her eyes, knowing that the whites of her eyes had turned black, leaving her irises gold. She decided to test her jutsu on the arrogant kid sitting next to her. The temperature of the room dropped several degrees as the boy suddenly stopped writing. She almost smiled. His hand was shaking slightly. Suddenly he fell out of his chair, landing on the ground gasping for air, eyes wide. A couple of people turned.

She reached out as if to help him, opening her eyes. He saw the black in her eyes and gasped, but it sounded no different since he was beginning to convulse. One of his hands clutched his neck, clawing at his throat. She took his hand to help him to his feet. Their eyes locked and she read the past movements of his hands as fast as she could, tracing the patterns. Done within ten seconds, she broke the jutsu, pulling him to his feet as if that was her intention all along. He was so freaked out that he ripped his hand out of hers, standing on his own and sitting in his seat, slowly edging away from her, though he did mumble a "thanks," after. She nodded. The lights returned to their full brightness and the temperature if the room returned to normal, as did Ryoka's eyes. She sat back down, wondering if she'd taken it too far. Darkness jutsu wasn't pleasant in any shape form or fashion. That was just the mildest version she could muster. That kind of energy was difficult to restrain. She hoped she wouldn't have to use much worse. Why her village specialized in dark jutsu was a mystery to her. Perhaps it convinced ninja to only fight when absolutely necessary.

"Okay! Now I will give the 10th problem!" Ryoka glanced up quickly at Morino, who looked slightly scary with his intense staredown of the Genin.

"Yes," he continued. "But before that, there is one thing I must say. There will be one special rule for this last question."

Of course there would be. Ryoka almost sighed in exasperation. This was getting ridiculous. Just then, Kankuro returned, having finished 'using the restroom'. Morino smirked.

"You're lucky," he said. "Your puppet show didn't have to go to waste." Kankuro gasped slightly, no doubt wondering how Morino had caught him in the act.

"Oh well, sit down," Morino told him.

Kankuro did so.

"I will now explain," Morino continued.

"This is... A hopeless rule... First you are all going to choose if you wish to take the tenth problem or not."

Temari leaned forward suddenly.

"Choose? So what happens if we don't take the tenth problem?" She demanded.

Ryoka glanced at her.

"If you choose not to take it, your points will be reduced to zero. In other words, you will fail. Your two other teammates will fail among with you.

Three, Ryoka corrected mentally. Was her team the only one with four? She wasn't sure. The people around her were grumbling amongst themselves.

"And here's another rule," Morino said. Ryoka rested her chin in her hand, lazily watching Morino in exasperation. Another rule. Surprise surprise.

"If you choose to take it and you get it wrong, you will lose the privilege to take the Chuunin exam forever."

Ryoka's eyes widened slightly. That was unexpected. Morino laughed quietly.

"You were all unlucky. This year I am the rule. That's why I gave you the option of quitting. Those who are not confident can choose not to take it, and take the exam the next year, or the year after that." He laughed again.

Ryoka's eyes narrowed as Morino returned to his serious expression.

"Let us begin," he said. "Those who will not be taking the tenth question, raise your hands."

One by one, people raised their hands and left, unable to take the pressure.

Ryoka watched them leave. How depressing. She couldn't afford to raise her hand, due to her debt to Tsunade, but this alone still set her on edge. She looked up in shock as Naruto lifted a trembling hand. Her eyes widened.

Is he...?

Suddenly he slammed his hand on the table. "Screw you!" He yelled. "I'm not going to run away! I'll take this problem! Even if I become a Genin forever, I'm going to become a Hokage no matter what anyway! I'm not scared!"

He sat back down, crossing his arms.

Morino stared steadily at all of them.

"I will ask one more time. This is the choice that will impact the rest of your life. If you want to quit, now is your chance."

"I'm not going to take back my words," Naruto replied confidently. "That's my 'Way of the Ninja'."

Ryoka smiled slightly. This kid had just given everyone in the room more confidence.

"Nice determination," Morino told them. "Then.. For the first exam, everyone here... Passes!"

Ryoka relaxed. Now the exam made sense. She glanced at Temari, Kankuro and Gaara. One exam down; Two to go.


	15. 15 The Second Exam

**Author's Note: Here's the next chapter, I hope you enjoy it. For me it feels like the plot is slowing down a little, but I have some events I'm looking forward to coming up, so bear with me. Thanks for all of the positive feedback!**

Ryoka's head snapped up as a projectile flew through the window. Morino leaped out of the way just in time as shards of glass flew everywhere. The projectile unfurled, the corners shooting out and attaching to the ceiling with Kunai knives. A woman also lithely twisted out of the fabric, standing up with her hands on her hips.

"Everyone! There's no time to be happy!"

The fabric had revealed a large sign, reading 'The Second Examiner Mitarashi Anko is here!"

The woman gestured to the sign.

"I am the second examiner, Mitarashi Anko." She glared at all of them, her brown eyes determined.

"Let's go to the next exam! Follow me!" She shouted, raising her fist in the air enthusiastically. Everyone stared at her. Ryoka heard Kankuro stifle a laugh. She just sat very still. This examiner reminded her of Naruto. Morino peered out from behind the sign.

"Grasp the atmosphere," he said, looking slightly annoyed. Anko blushed scarlet. Then her expression turned into surprise.

"Nanakyuu? Ibiki, you let twenty six teams pass?" She looked at him accusingly.

"The first exam must have been too soft."

He smiled grimly.

"It looks like there are a lot of excellent students this time."

"Hmph! Oh well..."

She put her hands on her hips, grinning a feline smile.

"I'm going to make more than half of the teams fail in the next exam."

All seventy nine of them stiffened slightly, exchanging glances with one another before returning their gaze to Anko.

"I'm getting excited," she said softly, a small smile decorating her features.

Then louder, she addressed the entire room.

"I will explain the details tomorrow. We will go somewhere else, so ask your Jounin about the rally point and time. That is all. Dismissed."

The next morning, seventy nine Genin stood together, staring in fascinated horror at their location. Knarled trees larger than buildings twisted together into a gruesome looking forest, surrounded by a wire fence with forbidden signs chained to it every few meters. Anko stood in front of the fence by the entrance, hands in the pockets of her trench coat.

"This is where the second exam will take place. The 44th training area... Also known as the Forest of Death."

She grinned.

Ryoka frowned slightly. Every instinct she possessed told her not to pass through the forest. An ominous feeling in her stomach told her something bad was going to happen. She glanced at her team. At the very least she had strong comrades, as long as they still considered her an ally.

Ryoka glanced over her shoulder at some commotion in the back. She frowned slightly. Naruto and those kids were there. Konohamaru and his friends. What were they doing...?

She stiffened as Anko brushed past her, approaching Naruto.

"What's going on here?" She asked the Genin sternly. Naruto looked up at the woman.

"Konohamaru wants to do an exclusive for his school newspaper or something," he replied honestly.

Anko's eyes widened slightly in interest.

"Oh," she replied with a cheerful smile. "Yes, I forgot that Hokage-sama mentioned something about that." She gave him an embarrassed smile.

Naruto sweat dropped.

"You forgot...?"

"Alright!" Anko announced. "Everyone! We are going to take a ten minute break. If you are asked any questions, just concede and cooperate quietly."

Temari put her hands on her hips, sighing.

"Now what do we do?" She asked with a frown. Kankuro shrugged. Ryoka glanced at Gaara. He had his arms crossed, and was staring off to the side at Sasuke, glaring daggers at the black haired Uchiha. She watched Kankuro shift his bundle off of his shoulders and sit in the grass, leaning against a boulder.

"Might as well rest up while we have the chance," he suggested, closing his eyes. Temari frowned.

"You're hopeless, Kankuro."

Ryoka stood quietly, watching the three siblings. How was she supposed to find out why they were here? Their plans were foreign to her. There was no way they would trust her enough to say anything. She didn't even look trustworthy, let alone act that way. What was Tsunade thinking?

"Nadeshiko-San, we're going to stick to our three point formation, ok?"

Ryoka glanced at Temari, giving the girl a curt nod.

"You stay out of sight and take care of anything that might try to stop us along the way."

"If anyone tries to stop us, I'll kill them," Gaara said slowly without turning his head.

"All the more reason," Kankuro muttered, too low for Gaara to hear.

"Come on, the exam is about to start," Temari interrupted, walking closer to Anko. Kankuro and Ryoka joined her.

Once Anko had everyone's attention, she smiled, her eyes narrowing.

"You will be able to experience for yourselves why this place is called the Forest of Death," she informed them smugly.

Ryoka watched as Naruto mimicked her, clearly not taking her seriously. Ryoka sighed quietly. The idiot.

"Stop trying to scare us!" He accused. "I'm not scared at all!"

Anko smiled with fake cheerfulness.

"Really?" She questioned in a dangerously friendly voice.

"You sure are energetic." In an instant she slipped a kunai into her hand and threw it with stunning speed and accuracy. It flew straight past Naruto's ear, slicing across his cheek and landing directly to Ryoka's left. Anko vanished and appeared directly behind Naruto.

"She's fast," Temari breathed.

"Boys like you die the fastest," Anko assured Naruto. She touched his face, the fake smile still present.

"After spilling out that red blood I love all over the place."

So fast that Ryoka almost missed it, a Hidden Grass ninja sped by, picking up the knife and appearing behind Anko, offering it in his unnaturally long tongue.

"Here's your knife," he said, extending his tongue over her shoulder.

"Arigato," she replied cheerfully, "But don't stand behind me like that. That is, unless you want to die young."

She took the knife and walked towards the entrance to the forest, addressing all of the Genins.

"Before we begin the Second Exam, I'm going to pass these out to everyone." She held up a consent form.

"These are consent forms. Those taking the exam must sign these. From here on, people will die. If we didn't do this, then I would be held responsible."

She laughed and Ryoka frowned. What was wrong with this examiner?

"Now I will begin the explanation of the Second Exam."

Ryoka listened as Anko explained the rules. A competition over scrolls, huh? How original. The examiners drew a curtain around a table so that teams could receive their scroll in secret.

"Ne, Nadeshiko-San, you're the best at staying unseen, right? You can keep the scroll." Ryoka nodded, going with the others to exchange their consent forms for the scroll. They had the earth scroll. She took it and put it in the pack at her waist, knowing it was highly unlikely they would have trouble anyways. A while later, Anko checked the time and instructed them to move towards their designated gates.

"Roku," Temari observed, looking at her paper.

"Gate Six?" Kankuro confirmed.

"Ah, let's go."

Standing in front of their gate, Ryoka watched the three of them, noticing Temari and Kankuro's worried expressions. They were afraid of spending five days with Gaara. That much was obvious. They stood in preparation at the gates. As soon as they opened, the four of them shot through, speeding towards the center. Ryoka went to her place in formation, hidden by the upper branches of the trees while the other three kept to the lower and thicker ones. She kept her eyes open and her instincts kicked in, making her check immediately for basic traps and oncoming enemies. Only fifteen minutes into it, she signaled to Temari that there were three ninja ahead. Gaara stopped, landing on the ground smoothly. Temari and Kankuro landed silently next to him, signaling for Ryoka to stay hidden, just in case. She did so, forming a quick seal and disappearing into shadow as she watched events unfold beneath her.

Gaara stood in front, staring down the three unlucky ninja that approached them.

Sensing more ninja, Ryoka quickly looked down beneath her. It was Kiba, Hinata, and Shino. They weren't an immediate threat, but she discreetly made eye contact with Temari, looking down and holding up three fingers. Temari blinked in confirmation and turned back to face the ninjas from the Village of Rain.

The one in the middle spoke first.

"Kids from the Sand challenge us straight on... How foolish."

Gaara crossed his arms per his chest., glaring at the ninja darkly.

"Hey kid. You should be more careful in picking your opponents," the shinobi continued. He smiled.

"You're going to die."

"Stop talking. Lets fight... Old man," Gaara replied with deadly calm.

The ninja's eyes narrowed at the insult.

"Hey Gaara," Kankuro said suddenly. "Shouldn't we follow them and gather some information before we pick a fight? If they have the same scroll as us, there is no need to fight. Unnecessary fights are-"

"It doesn't matter," Gaara interrupted him. "I'll kill everyone we encounter." His voice had reduced to little more than a growl.

The shinobi grabbed six sticks off of his back.

"Then let's do this!" He yelled, tossing them into the air. They opened up into umbrellas and started to spin.

"Die!" The shinobi yelled, forming a seal. The umbrellas started to spin, releasing needles in every direction. Gaara didn't move an inch, and Ryoka watched in pure fascination as sand swirled of its own accord, blocking the attacks.

"Is that it?" Gaara snarled darkly from within the shadow of his sand.

The shinobi took a step back, clearly appalled that his ninjutsu had failed. He tried the same move again to no avail. Gaara glared at the shinobi through his sand barrier.

"A rain of needles," he observed. "Then I will make a rain of blood fall."

Ryoka frowned slightly. She knew Gaara had taken a turn for the worst, but was he really a cold blooded killer? For some reason that was hard for her to believe. Perhaps because she could still see the innocent child in him that he had once been. The shinobi with the umbrellas watched Gaara in fear.

"A-A wall of s-sand?" He questioned.

"Ah," Kankuro replied. "It is absolute protection by the sand. He controls the sand inside the gourd and hardens it with an enormous amount of chakra. It is a technique only permissible by Gaara, and is used to protect him. Regardless of Gaara's will, this is all done automatically. In other words, all attacks against Gaara are nullified."

The shinobi swore, looking terrified.

Kankuro raised his head and looked down at the shinobi condescendingly.

"You guys can't defeat our Gaara."

"Don't take me lightly!" The shinobi yelled, charging forward. Gaara slowly brought his hands together in a seal.

He's dead, Ryoka thought, recognizing the movement.

"Sand coffin!" Gaara snarled, pushing his hand forward out of the seal.

Less than a minute later, all three of the shinobi lay dead, blood everywhere.

Gaara's voice sounded hollow and haunted.

"There was no pain. Because there was no time to even feel it. The tears and blood of the dead mixes with an endless quicksand, and further fuels the war."

Ryoka glanced down. Hinata, Kiba and Shino were attempting to leave as quickly and silently as possible. Wise of them. She turned her attention to Gaara, who had frozen, head cocked to the side as if he were listening for something.

"Alright, we have the right scroll. Lets head to the tower now," Kankuro said.

"Shut up," Gaara growled. He met Kankuro's eyes. "I still haven't had enough."

Ryoka frowned. Gaara was staring directly at the place where Kiba and his team were, standing frozen as they hoped they wouldn't be caught.

"Lets stop, Gaara," Kankuro protested. Gaara's eyes shifted back to Kankuro.

"Are you afraid, coward?" He asked in a low voice. Kankuro bristled at the insult and walked over to his little brother.

"Gaara! You might be ok, but its too dangerous for us. We just need one set of scrolls! We don't need anymore..." He stopped a couple of feet away from the red head. Gaara lifted his hand threateningly.

"You slacker. Don't order ME around."

Kankuro's eyes narrowed. He grabbed Gaara's shirt, dragging him slightly forward.

"Cut it out!" He said angrily. "Why don't you listen to what your older brother says once in a while!"

Gaara glared at Kankuro.

"I have never thought of you two as siblings," he said darkly. "If you get in my way, I'll kill you." Ryoka flinched slightly. For the bond of a sister or brother to be desecrated so easily...

What had happened to him?

Gaara pushed Kankuro's hand off him and raised his own, his arm once again in the direction of Kiba and the others.

Temari raised her hands in front of her worriedly.

"Gaara, stop. Don't be so cold," she pleaded nervously, trying to force a smile. "This is your big sister asking you, okay?" Gaara's hand shifted to pointing at Kankuro, who stiffened. Then seeming to change his mind, he returned the direction of the seal to Kiba and the others. Sand swirled around his fingertips.

"Gaara!" Temari shouted pleadingly. Ryoka vanished from where she was, appearing directly in front of Gaara, putting herself in between him an the other team in hiding. She put her hand on his shoulder, her stern eyes saying the message she intended him to hear loud and clear. Enough. He closed his hand into a fist and the cork appeared there, which he returned to his gourd.

"Fine," he said darkly.

He turned and walked away. Ryoka let her hand drop back to her side, and Temari let out a sigh of relief.

"Arigato, Nadeshiko-San. I wasn't expecting you to step in." Ryoka nodded, accepting the thanks and following Gaara, the other two close behind. They made it to the tower in record time, arriving ninety seven minutes after the start of the exam. The tower was empty.

"Guess there's nothing left to do now but wait," Kankuro sighed.

Twelve hours later, the tower was still empty.

"There's no other place to go," Kankuro said, walking through the interior of the tower for the seventh time.

"We've been here for twelve hours," Temari sighed, rounding a corner.

"How much longer do we have to wait?"

They walked through the room, passing Kiba, Hinata, and Shino. Gaara just looked straight ahead, his eyes briefly shifting to the team before turning back to what was in front of him. Both Temari and Kankuro smirked, and Ryoka watched them for a moment, her expression unreadable.

"N-Nadeshiko-San? Is that y-you?" Hinata stammered nervously, her eyes glancing at Gaara fearfully. The four of them paused.

Ryoka met her eyes, nodding silently. She then turned back and kept walking, the others following. Kankuro and Temari were watching her curiously, but she ignored them.

Four days later, all of the ninja who passed stood together in a large room. There were twenty two of them. Twenty two out of seventy nine.

They lined up in rows, Ryoka in the back. The Hokage stood in front of them with the examiners off to the sides and several ranked shinobi behind him.

"Congratutions on passing the second exam," the Hokage said. "We will now proceed."


	16. 16 The Preliminary Rounds

**Author's Note: Hey everyone, I'm so sorry it's so late at night, it's been a chaotic weekend and I was suddenly extremely busy and found myself with very little time to update. Thankfully I won't have another competition for a while, so I will do my best to stay on top of my Chapters. Please review, I'd really appreciate it, and expect an update soon! Thanks for your patience!**

Anko stepped forward.

"We will now have an explanation of the third exam from Hokage-sama," she announced. "Everyone listen well."

The Hokage stepped forward.

"The third exam will now begin."

He began a detailed explanation of the true purpose of the exam, explaining how it was really the epitome of a war where shinobi fought each other without wasting military power. Once he finished, Naruto crossed his arms with a smile.

"Heh, I understand now," he said smugly.

"I don't care," Gaara's chilling voice came from directly next to Ryoka. "Tell us the details of this life-or-death exam."

The Hokage nodded.

"Hm, then I will now begin the explanation of the Third Exam, but..." He paused as a ninja appeared in front of him, crouching and lowering his head respectfully.

"Excuse me, Hokage-sama, I Gekkou Hayate, the judge, will explain."

"Please do," the old man replied.

Hayate nodded, standing.

"Everyone, it's nice to meet you. Before the third exam, there's something I want you to do. He turned his head to look over his shoulder at the remaining Genins. "Fight in some preliminary matches to see who gets to advance to the Third Exam's main battle."

"Preliminary matches? What do you mean?" Shikamaru demanded.

"In this case, it must have been because the First and Second exam were too easy, I don't know, but there are too many examinees left."

Ryoka's eyes narrowed slightly. That was ridiculous. Forcing only a set number to pass... It didn't make sense. Why make there be less people when the ninja are obviously talented enough to get this far?

"If anyone needs to quit, please let me know," he said in monotone. "The preliminary matches will begin immediately. "They will be one-on-one matches, so please withdraw if you wish."

Ryoka glanced at the others. Only Kabuto decided to leave. She watched him on his way out. Something about him still bothered her. Supposedly he had taken this exam several times, but it appeared he was giving up so easily... What was he up to?

"We have twenty-one people, so there will be eleven matches. Whoever wins the very first match will be admitted to the third exams, but will fight again with the last contestant. If the last contestant wins, both will be permitted to the next round. If not, than the winner alone will advance. There are no rules. The match ends when one shinobi dies, gets knocked out, or admits defeat."

He gesture to the side wall and a panel slid open, revealing a screen. "This will determine your matches. Without further ado, I will now display the names for the first match."

The screen blinked on and scrambled the names. Ryoka blinked.

AKADOU YOROI & UCHIHA SASUKE

She sighed quietly. This would be interesting.

Ryoka followed Temari and Kankuro up the stairs to a long platform with rails against the wall where they could watch the matches. Gaara was following behind her. She stood as straight as possible, hoping Kankuro wouldn't notice that she was a good six inches shorter than Gaara, who was the shortest of the three of them. She didn't quite understand why he hated short people, specifically kids, but she figured she should try to befriend them as much as possible. She probably shouldn't let them know she was the same age as the rookies either. Keeping her expression passive, she leaned against the wall, crossing her arms and closing her eyes. She knew they had some kind of plan to carry out. That much was obvious, but their Jounin, Baki, had done a flawless job of keeping it secret. She kept trying to figure out how next to approach her task, so distracted that she wasn't even listening as an explanation of the preliminary matches were given.

Suddenly Sasuke and Yoroi faced off. It didn't take long. Sasuke won quickly. Ryoka wondered what had happened to him during the second exam. She had learned about the cursed seal on her travels as Wanderer, but as far as she knew, only Orochimaru... Her eyes widened. The seal, Orochimaru, Tsunade getting her to come here... Orochimaru had to be planning something, and wished to use Sasuke. Tsunade wanted to stop Orochimaru but couldn't get involved without arousing suspicion. But then, how was Suna's team involved? They were obviously being manipulated, but how? And who was behind it? She frowned. She would have to figure that out in the time before the third exam. For now she had to focus on the preliminaries. Sasuke would have to fight again, with whoever didn't have a partner at the end. Judging by his condition, that rule would have to change. He had to get that seal healed somehow. As for Yoroi, well, he'd probably survive. She glanced at the panel to see who would be next.

ZAKU ABUMI & ABURAME SHINO

It didn't take long. Shino's ability with insects was impressive. Ryoka began to feel slightly nervous. These people were strong. Some of them were friendly as well. She didn't want to use her abilities. Darkness was a jutsu that took enormous effort to restrain, and it was dangerous. Very, very dangerous.

It was both a mental and physical attack, and had very serious, usually permanent consequences if you weren't careful. Though she had almost perfected the several techniques she had worked with the past few months, the seven tails was growing stronger as time passed. The full moon wouldn't be here for a while, so the demon was starting to stir. Its hatred was like fuel to her jutsu, and made it more difficult to restrain. That wasn't the only issue though. The mental part of it was... Evil, To say the least. She glanced at the panel. If things were one on one, she hoped she wouldn't be teamed with someone on her own team. It would defeat the purpose of her being there. She looked at the panel.

KANKURO & TSURUGU MISUMI

Ryoka glanced at her teammate. He looked confident enough.

He faced off with Misumi, who got him in a choke hold, his arms and legs stretching like rubber. Temari frowned. "What if he kills him?!" Ryoka heard Sakura gasp.

"So what," Gaara said nonchalantly. His arms were crossed tightly, and he was watching the battle with disinterest

The Kankuro being choked turned out to be the puppet, Karasu, and Kankuro quickly won after that. He returned smugly, and the four of them glanced at the panel.

YAMANAKA INO & HARUNO SAKURA

The fight wasn't as interesting as the others, but it lasted much longer. Both girls were evenly matched, and knocked each other out. They were both carried off the floor and the fifth match was called.

TENTEN & TEMARI

Temari faced off with her confidently.

It took about a full minute. Once all three spots on her fan were visible, Tenten was a goner, and had to be carried out.

The next match was called immediately.

KIN TSUCHI & NADESHIKO RYOKA

Ryoka flicked her eyes to the woman she would be fighting. She looked confident in her abilities.

"Guess now we can see what you're capable of," Temari smirked, hands on her hips.

"Don't lose," Kankuro said. She nodded and leaped lightly over the railing, landing in a crouch on the floor.

"Wonder what jutsu she can do," Temari murmured. "Ah," Kankuro replied. "This is a good chance to find out what we can."

Ryoka faced Kin, her gold eyes cold. It was good that she didn't know this woman. She couldn't afford to be sympathetic. She already knew this woman's ability. She attached bells to thin needles that emitted a special sound wave that caused paralysis an hallucinations. As long as she couldn't hear the bells she was safe. Her jutsu was perfect for that. Ryoka stayed still when Hayate gave the signal to begin. As expected, Kin threw a needle, and Ryoka vanished. She reappeared behind Kin and formed a seal, closing her eyes. Kin turned.

"Closing your eyes while fighting me is a mistake!" She laughed, swinging a kunai down on the girl. Ryoka opened her eyes quickly, meeting Kin's. kin froze, gasping. Ryoka's eyes were black, with a gold iris. She took a deep breath, telling herself to restrict as much power as possible. Kin started to tremble. In her mind, Kin was enveloped in darkness. She couldn't see, feel, smell, hear, or taste anything. Here was the tricky part. The evil side of Kin, her dark personality, confronted Ryoka. This was her least favorite part. As the dark Kin attacked her jutsu, every dark secret or memory Kin had was revealed to her. It was no coincidence that Ryoka had learned so much as Wanderer.

Ryoka let a bit of the dark power go, and it strangled the dark Kin, turning it into energy. The real Kin began to gasp, clutching at her neck as she fell, convulsing, to the ground. Ryoka stared at her coldly. She used the energy from Dark Kin and summoned it to the real world. There was a spark above her hand and a swirl of dark energy appeared, flickering black with gold flames. Kin's eyes widened in fear.

"What... Are you?!" She gasped. Ryoka pinned her to the ground, still trying to hold back the majority of the energy. She didn't want to kill Kin. She was reluctant to even send the girl unconscious. She raised the energy above her head, about to deliver the blow, when a voice in her mind made her freeze.

_Make it stronger_, the seven tails hissed. _Kill her. _

It's voice grew louder, its will threatening to break her barrier.

_She fears you. She hates us. Kill her._

The seal on her ankle started to prickle painfully.

She felt her arm being tugged towards Kin, the girl struggling to breath. Ryoka's eyes widened slightly. The energy was too much. It would kill her. She slammed her hand into the ground next to Kin, the impact sending huge chunks of the floor flying. She released the jutsu immediately, feeling her eyes return to normal.

_Baka_, the seven tails spat in her mind, before retreating back to the darkness.

She released Kin's neck and the girl immediately jerked upright, flipping Ryoka under her and pinning the girl down, her hand on her neck and her knee on her stomach.

"I get it," Kin said silkily, loud enough for everyone to hear.

"I don't know what jutsu you use, but I understand why you didn't kill me. You can't hold it all back, can you? You're afraid of your own power."

Ryoka grit her teeth as Kin tightened her hold on her neck.

"Can't you speak?" Kin hissed. Ryoka clenched her teeth together.

"I really hate quiet people," Kin said. She raised a kunai. Ryoka sighed inwardly. Guess it couldn't be helped. She closed her eyes, and the temperature dropped, the lights dimming so that they were half as bright as they used to be. Kin suddenly froze, unable to touch the kunai to Ryoka's neck.

"Nani?!" Ryoka shoved Kin off of her and stood. Kin's shadow had emerged from the ground and morphed into dark Kin, holding the real Kin captive in a choke hold, a kunai to her neck. Ryoka's own shadow had taken on the shape of a wolf, her eyes having returned to black and gold.

After that it was simple. Ryoka bent down and touched her shadow, and a swirl of energy returned to her hand. She approached Kin and gently pressed her palm against the girl's forehead. The energy entered her head and the girl's eyes rolled back into her head. She was unconscious. Ryoka formed a seal and the dark Kin vanished, her shadow returned to normal, the lights brightened, the temperature rose, and her eyes were once again normal. Tired, Ryoka returned up the stairs to where Kankuro and Temari were waiting.

They were staring at her, mouths parted slightly in wonder.

"What jutsu was that?" Temari demanded. Ryoka walked straight past her, as if she didn't hear. Kankuro blocked her path.

"You never said you were strong," He remarked. She stopped, her eyes flicking up to meet his. She was tired. Why were they choosing now to interrogate her? It had been years since she had last spoken. Did they really expect her to start talking now?

Temari grabbed her shoulders and shoved her up against the wall, angrily staring her down. Apparently they did.

"Oi, it's about time we got some answers here! You haven't said a word since we met you, and you can't expect us to trust you unless you tell us something about yourself! What is that jutsu?! Where did it come from?"

Gaara was watching her, a slight flicker of interest in his eyes.

Ryoka's lips pulled back in a snarl. Who did Temari think she was to interrogate her? Just because she was strong apparently meant she was worth knowing now. She shoved Temari off of her roughly. Temari looked shocked.

"That expression..." Her eyes widened in recognition. "You're that girl! You're the one that defended Gaara!"


	17. 17 The Seven Tailed Beast

**Author's Note: Here's the next chapter, I hope you guys like it! I've finally gotten my excitement back. The next two chapters are the ones I've really been looking forward to for a while, so I'm happy to tell you the plot will be picking up very soon! Also, I have been sticking very close to the actual episodes up to this point, but expect some changes soon. Y'all are the best! Please review, it makes my day:)**

"You're the girl that defended Gaara!"

Ryoka blinked. She swore inwardly, glancing at the Sand jinchuriki. He was turned away from her, but his dark rimmed eyes were turned in her direction.

"What are you talking about?" Kankuro asked.

"I'm right, aren't I?" She demanded, hands on her hips. Ryoka took a careful step away from the blonde. This wasn't good. If the Kazekage found out about this...

"Answer me," Temari demanded frostily. Ryoka looked away, wondering what she should do. Did Temari know she had tried to kill the Kazekage? That she was banished from Suna as long as he was alive? Or did she only know that she had left Suna after defending Gaara?

"I knew it," Temari said, taking her silence as confirmation. "I knew you looked familiar, as soon as you gave that Jounin your mask."

She grinned smugly.

"So how was your life as Wanderer?"

Ryoka's head snapped up. She knew about that, too? How did people find out about this kind of thing?! She hadn't talked in six years!

"Wanderer?" Kankuro questioned. "That legend about someone saving you in a time of crisis? I didn't realize you believed that kind of thing, Temari," he smirked.

"Baka," she retorted. "It isn't a legend. The blonde gambler and I were the ones that came up with the name."

"What?"

"I asked her to find this girl when she left Suna and she came back empty handed. I asked what had happened and she just said the girl was 'wandering'. That's where the name started, and it was about her." She indicated Ryoka, who looked like she wanted to disappear.

Kankuro shifted his gaze to Ryoka, and she looked away, unable to hold any of their gazes. She hated the attention being pulled towards her.

"So you're strong."

Ryoka looked up, surprised at the sound of Gaara's voice. He was watching her from the corner of his eye. She nodded. His eyes slowly shifted back to the matches. They had missed two fights while confronting Ryoka. Naruto had beaten Kiba and Neji had won against Hinata. Gaara's gaze shifted to the panel.

ROCK LEE & GAARA

Kankuro and Temari glanced at each other worriedly when they saw their little brother's name on the board.

When they turned back, Ryoka had vanished.

Ryoka went to the roof of the building, lying on her back on the rough roof shingles. She tried to calm herself. She'd been through several situations worse than this. Too many, actually. So what if the three of them knew she was Wanderer? The only way an issue would arise was if they for some reason told the Kazekage that she was on their team, and even then he would still have to recognize her. The chances of that happening were slim.

Having succeeded in calming herself down, she took a deep breath. Tsunade better appreciate this. That other boy, Rock Lee, was strong, so it would probably take a while for Gaara to crush him. Ryoka's opinion of Gaara

was actually positive for the most part. Well, maybe not quite positive, but she understood somewhat what made him think the way he did and she certainly wasn't afraid of him like others were. Perhaps because she wasn't a stranger to loneliness. Or maybe because she was a fellow jinchuriki, though he didn't know that. She had learned that the jinchuriki for the nine tails was in Konoha. She wondered vaguely who it was. Maybe she could find out before leaving Konoha again.

Ready to return, she arrived in time to see the cork of Gaara's gourd fly at Lee. He caught it.

"Don't get so hasty," Lee scolded. Gaara glared. He was shaking in excitement. Lee tried to attack Gaara several times, and put up an impressive fight, actually succeeding in crushing Gaara's armor of sand, but Gaara won in the end, rendering Lee unconscious. Lee's Jounin, Gai, stopped Gaara's final attempt at Killing Lee. This seemed to push Gaara over the edge. He clutched his head, one eye closing in pain.

"Why?" He rasped. "Why did you save him?!"

Gai watched Gaara with a stern stare.

"He's... An important subordinate that I love," he said.

Gaara twitched.

"A subordinate you love?" Temari questioned. Ryoka watched her for a moment, then turned back to Gaara. Gaara wouldn't understand those words. Not yet, at least.

He stood and slowly walked away, his gourd reforming on his back as he went.

"I quit," he snarled darkly, walking away. Ryoka watched as Gai gently supported Lee, trying to help him on the stretcher. She scowled slightly, her eyes pained. She had never experienced affection like that. The only time was when her parents were alive, a time she barely remembered. She turned her gaze back to Gaara, who had stopped and was staring straight at her. She met his gaze calmly, accepting his challenge and refusing to back down from his glare. His eyes narrowed but he turned and resumed walking. Temari smirked.

"No one can beat Gaara," she said smugly.

Ryoka watched as the red haired jinchuriki walked all the way to the entrance before vanishing in a swirl of sand. He reappeared next to Ryoka. Temari smiled.

"Welcome back, Gaara."

He turned to glare at her.

Ryoka shook her head slightly. Gaara was more dangerous than she had realized. She wondered if Tsunade would have still instructed her to do this if the woman had known she was putting two jinchuriki on the same team. Probably not.

The rest of the preliminary matches went quickly, both Dosu and Shikamaru winning their respective matches. The winners were called to gather and listen as the Final Exam matches were explained. They would be given one month to train before.

Naruto was against Neji, Sasuke against Gaara, Kankuro against Shino, Shikamaru against Dosu, and Ryoka against Temari.

Temari shot Ryoka a sideways glance, concerned.

"Are we supposed to fight members on our own team?" She questioned aloud.

"It shouldn't matter at this point," the Hokage replied. "You won't get selected as a Chuunin in teams. Now, prepare yourselves well over the next month. Everyone here is dismissed."

Kakashi appeared next to Ryoka, speaking quietly.

"What are you planning to do?" He questioned. She crossed her arms, shaking her head. She didn't necessarily have to participate in the final matches. If she found out what was going on before then, she could leave Konoha and consider her debt repaid, go back to wandering as she used to.

"I can help you control your tailed beast," he murmured quietly. She gasped, spinning around to face the masked Jounin.

"Don't worry," he said, holding up his hands. "I won't tell anyone. I only know because of your brother, and he set up a plan to protect you before then. According to the rest of the world, the seven tails is an insect like beast sealed into a jinchuriki in another part of the world."

Ryoka didn't relax. Konoha was a dangerous place. People found out things about each other here.

"Point being, he told me very little about the jutsu of your people, but he did give me a process, and it involves controlling the tailed beast, or rather, befriending it."

The dark creature within her mind stirred. She frowned slightly. She knew what he was was talking about. Her jutsu, with a few adjustments, was perfect for a process of separating the seven tails chakra. But that wasn't a problem for her. She already had plenty of its chakra.

"Come," Kakashi said, lifting a hand over his shoulder. She followed him to an abandoned training ground, where they stopped in a clearing in the woods.

"Would you mind letting me speak to the seven tails, Nadeshiko-San?"

Ryoka frowned. That was ridiculous. The only time jinchuriki were supposed to switch with their beasts were when they were friends. The jinchuriki for the eight tails had taught her that.

"Daijoubu," Kakashi assured her. "He won't go out of control. He's too curious."

Ryoka thought carefully. She'd never tried to contact the seven tails. It was always the one trying to force his way to her consciousness. How could she find him?

She closed her eyes, and she was suddenly pulled into a room. The walls, ceiling, and floor were all black, but occasional veins of white flew through the room like electricity. In front of her was a giant cage, it's bars made up of writhing black and white flames.

A single, glowing white eye opened.

What do you want, brat? The beast snarled.

She thought of Kakashi's request and the seven tails read her mind easily. How creepy.

_The Jounin with the Sharingan... What business does he have with me?_

She shrugged mentally. Hell if she knew.

_Fine_, the beast growled. There was a strange sensation as their mentalities switched.

Kakashi watched Ryoka in concern a her eye opened, no longer gold, but black with a white glowing iris.

"You are the nana-bi, am I right?" Kakashi questioned.

_And what if you are? _

The voice that came from Ryoka's mouth was dark and chilling, reverberating with evil.

"I want you to work with Nadeshiko-San."

_Why would I do something like that?_

"Only you know the length of her suffering. Though she hides it, whatever pain she is bearing is slowly tearing her apart. My Sharingan can detect her stability and it will falter much sooner than you might think. If you stop causing her pain then she may hold her sanity in longer."

_I don't care what happens to this brat. She's just a cage. All I want is to be released. I will destroy her._

"She is not very different from you, nana-bi."

The beast snarled. _What would you know?_

"Compare her memories to yours. Both of you have suffered. If you befriend her you will find a different kind of freedom."

The seven tails didn't answer, making Ryoka's eyes narrow. Kakashi blinked. She really had the potential to look scary when the seven tails made her expression angry like that.

_It doesn't matter_. The seven tails voice was slightly less sure, but still dark. _Don't interfere with my intentions,_ it growled, before retreating. Ryoka blinked once as her eyes returned to normal. She crossed her arms. Kakashi handed her two scrolls.

"Follow these instructions," he said. "You will be able to create a stronger barrier and control the amount of force you want to attack with. I will be training Sasuke-kun, so if you have a question ask your Jounin. Ja."

He closed his one visible eye in a smile, formed a seal, and vanished in a puff of smoke. Ryoka glanced at the scrolls, one labeled LIGHT and the other labeled DARKNESS.

Light and Darkness, yin and yang, good and evil, sun and moon. Why did all of her abilities require perfect balance? With an inward sigh, she opened the first scroll. Time to start training.


	18. 18 Speaking Again

**Author's Note: Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! I hope you all like this chapter, since I know I enjoyed writing it. Sorry it's so late at night; I will try to be a bit better about that next time. Please review, I would appreciate it! Also, if y'all have any ideas on how to make my story better please let me know, I'll consider any and all ideas. I hope you enjoy this update!**

Exactly one month later, Ryoka was late. To be more precise, she was being held up. She had recently discovered a bit more than she should have on Orochimaru's plan, and now she was being targeted. Sadly, her attackers had chosen the worst possible time. The final exam matches had already started, the only glitch being that Dosu was brutally murdered by Gaara. Now Shikamaru would be fighting the winner of her match against Temari. She crouched on the branch of a tree as shurikens whizzed by her. She needed to get to Konoha. The sooner she paid her debt to Tsunade the better. She summoned a shadow to her fingertips and sliced her hand through the air. There was a shout, and a masked ninja fell to the ground, dead. One down. She flipped over the branch as a kunai shot through the air, her leg coming up and kicking the ninja square in the chest. He fell and she scanned the forest. She could sense three more. One melted out from the tree behind her, stabbing towards her with a kunai knife. It just barely grazed her cheek before she grabbed his wrist, forcing him to drop the knife, and twisted his arm behind him, flipping him over her shoulder and letting him fall to the ground. Three down. The last two came at the same time, one from above and one from below. She placed her hands on the branch, swinging her body around to send them flying into each other. She formed a seal, reciting her technique mentally. The two shinobi's shadows separated from them and strangled them. Not waiting to see if they died or not, Ryoka left, rushing towards the exam building as fast as possible. Konoha was in danger. She arrived in minutes. Breathing heavily, she approached Temari and Kankuro. Gaara was about to start his fight.

"Where have you been?" Temari demanded, hands on her hips. "They had to delay our match until the end because of you."

She just took a deep breath, steadying herself.

"Geez, you could at least say hello," Kankuro muttered. "Haven't seen you in a month."

Ryoka looked up in surprise. Did they actually consider her a comrade? Did they now? Even if she was fighting Temari?

She crossed her arms, thinking. Her gaze turned to Gaara. He looked pretty scary today, and there was a gleam of bloodlust in his eyes. As soon as she paid her debt, somehow, she wanted to help him. A voice next to her caught her attention.

"See that red haired kid?" A teenager next to her asked, nodding at Gaara. She gave an almost imperceptible nod.

"Heard he was really strong. Never heard of the Uchiha kid, but the red haired one, he's dangerous. Ya know I hear he's a real monster at heart. Ain't too hard to believe really, I mean look at him. Monster is practically written across his face."

Temari and Kankuro heard as well, and their fists clenched, but none of them were prepared for Ryoka's reaction. She recoiled from his words like they had burned her, and then without hesitation, turned and slapped him across the face, hard. He watched her in shock for a moment. Kankuro stepped in before the boy could process what happened.

"Leave Gaara alone," Kankuro said darkly, crossing his arms. Eyes widening in fear, the boy backed away quickly and left, holding his injured cheek in his hand.

Ryoka glared after him the whole way. Temari raised an eyebrow at her and she took a deep shuddering breath, calming herself. She looked at Gaara, who was watching her with a strange, slightly confused expression. His eyes narrowed.

"I'm leaving," he growled before turning and disappearing in a swirl of sand.

"That's the second time you've defended him," Temari observed. Ryoka just shrugged. It came naturally. They shared the same pain. She eyed the ANBU officers stationed around. Thy didn't seem suspicious, but then again, they were wearing masks. She looked up to the box where the Hokage and the Kazekage were watching. She paled slightly at the sight of the Kazekage. If he saw her... She suddenly wanted her mask back more than anything. She looked closer. Something about the Kazekage looked off. She frowned, trying to make out his features despite the glare of the sun. The look in his eyes was different. He didn't look like the Kazekage.

She turned to walk around for a closer look, waving off Temari when she tried to follow. She made it to the hallway and listened, hearing nothing but the distant sound of echoing footsteps. She suddenly felt a hand cover her mouth and a kunai against her neck as her attacker drew her back into a room out of sight.

"Well, well, it looks like I've finally caught you, Nadeshiko-San."

Kabuto. She clenched her teeth. So he _was_ the traitor. She elbowed him in the ribs and shifted her weight, trying to trip him up, but he countered it, grabbing her neck and shoving her roughly against the wall. Her hand lashed out to perform a technique but he grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"I'm impressed, Nadeshiko-San. Even when being attacked you won't speak."

She glared at him defiantly. One false move and she would kill him. Without hesitation.

"What all do you know about Orochimaru-sama's plan?"

There. He had leaned forward just slightly, putting majority o his weight into pinning her neck and wrist. She raised her knees and kicked out, catching Kabuto straight in the chest. He released her for an instant and she fell to the ground painfully before rolling to her feet. She formed a seal and her eyes flicked to black. Kabuto's eyes widened.

"What jutsu do you use? Why do your eyes change color...?!"

She focused on the energy around her and a dark flame flickered in her hand. She directed it towards Kabuto's chest and he ducked, narrowly avoiding the blow. It vanished before it hit the opposite wall, causing no damage. Kabuto attacked her full on, tackling her to the ground. She pulled a kunai from her belt and lashed out, managing to cut him in the arm. Suddenly there was a pop as Kabuto vanished in a puff of smoke. She swore mentally. It had been a clone. Where the real Kabuto was she had no idea. She ran out of the room, running out to the arena, and was met by a scene of chaos. A couple of Jounins were fighting ANBU members while some sort of sealed barrier contained an impressive battle where the two Kages had been. Everyone in the spectator's seats were slumped down, unconscious. Her gaze snapped to the left as she heard an explosion in the woods. Gaara. She felt a resonance in the beast from the back of her mind. So Shukaku had broken free. She had to stop him. Ryoka sprinted away from the arena, closing her eyes. If she focused hard enough, she might be able to transfer from one shadow to another, increasing her speed dramatically. Manipulating darkness was her specialty after all. She concentrated and formed three seals in rapid succession. She melted into the shadows and struggled to finish it off. Her skin tingled as darkness surrounded her. She felt freezing, like she was surrounded by ice, and then suddenly she stepped out of the darkness and emerged at the edge of a chaotic battlefield. Sakura was slammed up against a tree, a giant claw pinning her unconscious form there. Sasuke was collapsed on a branch, cursed seal marks creeping up his neck and face. And Naruto, well Naruto was sitting up on top of a giant frog, facing off with Gaara, or rather, Shukaku. Even stranger, the frog was drawing a sword, several times the length of your average human being. How should she help in this battle?! She hadn't mastered Summoning Jutsu and she didn't want to get in the way. She eyed Shukaku warily. Was this what it was like when a tailed beast got out of control? Would this happen to her if she weakened? She had never felt so relieved that it was the full moon. The full moon was that very night, so her own tailed beast probably wouldn't cause any trouble. She scanned the one tailed beast, looking for signs of a weakness. Suddenly the beast reared back, roaring joyfully.

"I'm finally out of here!" It screamed. It pointed at the frog. "And I've found someone I want to kill!"

Ryoka tilted her head slightly in confusion. The ichi-bi had a strange personality. She watched closely. Gaara was connected to the beast, asleep. She had never seen his eyes closed before. She heard a gasp behind her and whirled around to see Sakura struggling to breathe. Her ribs would break if the claw around her tightened anymore. Ryoka scaled the tree Sakura was pinned to and slipped a hand into the sand. She shuddered. It smelled like blood. She formed a seal in the sand. Kurayami no Jutsu, she said silently. [note: kurayami means darkness] A shockwave tremored through her hand, and the pressure around Sakura disappeared. Sakura inhaled with a gasp. The claw of sand fell away and Ryoka caught the kunoichi's limp form, landing gently on the ground. Sakura's eyes fluttered open.

"Ryoka-San?" She murmured weakly. Ryoka met Sakura's eyes, wondering what she could do. Sasuke needed help as well, but as far as she knew there was no way to get rid of the seal. As long as he stayed where he was, his physical injuries would heal. She looked back at the battle between Naruto and Shukaku an gasped. The nine tails. Why was the kyu-bi there all if a sudden?! She watched in awe as the fox lunged towards Shukaku, sinking its teeth and claws into the raccoon beast. Suddenly there was a puff I smoke and the frog had returned, Naruto leaping off of him.

Ryoka frowned. So it was a transformation technique? But to transform into such an accurate replication of the Kyu-bi... She watched in shock as Naruto punched Gaara across the face, dispelling the sleeping technique an waking the boy. Gaara angrily tried to kill Naruto, but the frog protected him. Ryoka tried to think. What would help this situation? How could she assist them without getting in the way? What could she do?

She sighed in frustration. She would have to tend to Sasuke and Sakura for now. She watched as Naruto suddenly looked behind him, directly at her. He saw Sakura in her arms and his expression lifted slightly. Ryoka hoped he had been holding back until now, because the landscape around them wouldn't last much longer. Suddenly Naruto let out a yell of concentration as a fiery orange jutsu surrounded him. That wasn't an illusion or transformation technique. Ryoka felt her tailed beast stir. That was the nine tail's chakra. Ryoka's eyes widened. Naruto was the nine tails jinchuriki?!

She watched as he rushed forward and crashed his head into Gaara's. that was all it took. The raccoon's form crumpled and cracked, returning to sand. Ryoka saw Gaara falling from high in the air. She gently laid Sakura on the ground and leaped from tree to tree, jumping into the air and catching the red head before he hit the ground. She laid him down before he knew what was happening and backed away from the scene, not wanting him to know she had helped. A moment after the foliage concealed her, she saw Naruto edging towards Gaara, both of them completely worn out.

"D-don't get near me!" Gaara snarled at Naruto, eyes wide. Naruto didn't stop, lifting his head to meet Gaara's eyes.

"The pain of being alone... Is completely out of this world, isn't it?"

Ryoka looked down at her feet. Yes it was. Gaara's eyes widened.

"I don't know why," Naruto continued, "But I know what your feeling so well it actually hurts." Ryoka looked at Naruto. Who exactly was this boy? The things he said... Why did they affect people so much, including her?

"But I- I have people who are important to me now," the blonde boy said. "I won't let you hurt my important people. If you do... I'll stop you even if I have to kill you!"

I won't let you kill him, Ryoka thought instantly. Then she blinked in surprise. Where had _that_ thought come from? Sure she wanted to help Gaara, but protect him? She shook her head. She was just a tool. Someone to fight for her little sister. No other value whatsoever. She looked up at the sound of Gaara's voice.

"Why..." He gasped, his voice little more than a growl.

"Why would you do so much for strangers?!"

"My loneliness... That hell... They saved me from it and acknowledged my existence," Naruto replied firmly, still trying to approach Gaara by slowly but steadily moving forward.

"They're important to me, that's why."

"You can stop now, Naruto," a familiar voice said. Ryoka glanced up quickly to see Sasuke sitting next to the blonde boy. "Sakura is fine now, and he must be out of chakra," he said quietly, nodding towards Gaara.

"I see," Naruto said with effort. His head fell and he went unconscious just as Temari and Kankuro appeared in front of Gaara defensively.

"Don't fight them," Gaara murmured. "Lets stop."

They turned back to him in surprise.

"Gaara..."

Sasuke took Naruto and left, vanishing in the trees. Kankuro was about to help Gaara to his feet, but the red haired boy stopped him.

"Go," he said. "I will catch up later."

Knowing better than to argue, they nodded and left. Ryoka approached Gaara quietly. There was no way he could return to the others alone. His eyes followed her as she helped him sit up, leaning him against a tree.

He leaned his head back, looking up at the sky.

"I still feel like I'm missing something," he murmured. "I don't need to prove my existence by killing anymore, so what do I need?"

Her eyes flicked up to meet his in surprise. It was clear he didn't expect an answer. She knew exactly what he needed. Suddenly determined, she put her hands on his shoulders, directly meeting his eyes. He returned her gaze, slightly surprised. She was unsure if he would kill her for doing this, but she decided it was worth the risk. She had wanted to help him after all. She gently wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a gentle embrace, hearing him gasp slightly and hoping that didn't mean he was going to impale her with sand. She opened her mouth to speak for the first time in years.

"You just need someone who isn't afraid of you, Gaara."

Her voice came out gentle, and it was soft from going so long without talking.

She pulled away, her hands falling to her sides, and she hesitantly met his eyes. He was staring at her, a strange expression on his face.

"You can speak," he said quietly. She nodded.

"I guess you're right."

His gaze shifted to the side.

"You never feared me," he said tonelessly. It was a statement, and it was true. Ryoka didn't really value her life, so she had nothing to fear from powerful people as long as they didn't harm her sister.

She helped Gaara to his feet, letting him lean on her for support. She sighed inwardly. Geez he was heavy. Maybe that was just because of the gourd he carried. It was filled with sand, so suddenly it was twice as difficult to return to Konoha. Nevertheless, she walked slowly, supporting half of his weight as they walked back.

"Arigato, Nadeshiko."

Ryoka didn't answer, but a smile tugged at the corners of her lips. Once they finally arrived in Konoha, several sand ninja approached him, including Temari and Kankuro, all curious. Ryoka released Gaara and vanished just as they approached.

"Gaara, how did you get back by yourself? Aren't you hurt?" Temari questioned. He turned his head quickly to the side, but Ryoka was gone.

"I'm fine," he dismissed them. "Let's go."


	19. 19 Over the Edge of Insanity

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! I'm really proud of myself for updating so early today. I wrote this chapter last night since I will be busy all day today and voila! An update! So I'm excited, especially since this is by far my favorite chapter to write, even if it isn't the happiest. Sadly, I may have to take a break from my updates for a couple of days, since this is a difficult part of the plot, but I will try to stay on top of things. Please review!**

Exactly two weeks later, Gaara had healed enough to return to Konoha, and Ryoka was ready to leave for good. She walked out of her temporary home quickly, in a relatively good mood. She would go back to being Wanderer today. And the day after tomorrow was Kyoka's tenth birthday. Her spirits lifted at the thought of seeing her younger sister again. Perhaps this time she could even tell her that she was her older sister. She stopped at the exit and turned back to look at Konoha one last time. She hasn't told anyone she was leaving, and she hadn't seen Gaara since helping him back. It was probably best this way. It would be easier for them to forget the gold eyed girl who manipulated darkness. She turned to face the forest, having only taken a single step when a voice stopped her.

"Where are you going?"

She whirled around in surprise. Nobody had ever snuck up on her like that before. Gaara stood there, arms crossed, eyes unreadable. She shrugged. Turning slowly, she walked through the large doors marking Konoha's border. He didn't follow her. She hadn't expected him to.

"NADESHIKO!"

A furious shout came from behind her. Ryoka flinched. She knew that voice all too well. She turned back just in time to see Tsunade storming towards her, hands clenched into fists at her sides. What did this woman want with her now?! She had completely repaid her debt. Tsunade grabbed her arm and marched back into Konoha, making Ryoka stumble a bit in trying to keep up with her brisk pace.

"Please excuse me, Gaara-kun, but I need Nadeshiko-San for a moment," Tsunade growled, brushing past the red head. His eyes followed her as they left, but he made no comment.

Ryoka tore her arm from Tsunade's grasp, quite an achievement actually.

"Don't you dare go running off again," Tsunade ordered. Ryoka clenched her teeth angrily. What business did Tsunade have in ordering her where to go?

"If I have to be the Hokage, then I'm dragging you down with me."

Ryoka froze for a moment, looking at Tsunade in surprise. Hokage? She remembered the events as of late. The third Hokage had died against Orochimaru. But that still had nothing to do with her. Tsunade frowned.

"Actually, it might be better of you went to Suna, since their Kazekage was killed..."

Ryoka gasped out loud, bringing Tsunade's attention to her. The Kazekage was dead?! She tried to crush the tiny hint of relief she felt.

"Do you plan to continue being a part of Gaara's team?"

Ryoka shook her head.

"It might be best for you," Tsunade said, her voice kinder. Ryoka's expression hardened.

"Did you help Gaara during the invasion?"

She shook her head, but Tsunade saw through the lie.

"Maybe you should give him a chance to help you."

Help her? Ryoka frowned. She didn't need help. Her condition didn't matter.

"Go with them," Tsunade said.

"They most likely expect you to be there anyways."

She highly doubted it. She left without a word, Tsunade's final words to her echoing in the back of her mind.

"The three of them plan to depart for Suna today at noon."

She sighed aloud. What purpose would she have in going to Suna? She didn't want to get close to anyone. It was clear to her that anyone she got close to ended up getting murdered. That's why she had originally let Kyoka forget her. But now... Maybe Kyoka was old enough to know who she was. If she went to Suna, would she have friends? Friend. It was practically a foreign word to her. Did Temari and Kankuro consider her a friend? Probably not. did Gaara? Almost definitely not.

If she went to Suna, would that change? She wasn't sure that she wanted it to. Noticing that it was almost noon, she found herself wandering in the general direction of the meeting place where the three of them would be before leaving. Temari arrived first, and Ryoka quickly ducked out of sight. She waited for only a couple of minutes before Kankuro joined her.

"Where's Gaara?" Kankuro asked Temari. She shrugged.

"Maybe he's looking for Nadeshiko-San."

"They're both late," Kankuro muttered. Ryoka felt sand brush past her shoulder and she jerked back in surprise as Gaara walked straight past her, his eyes briefly meeting hers before he continued on his way.

"Oi, Gaara," Kankuro called. "Where's Nadeshiko?"

Ryoka stood in shock. There was no way... Why did they expect her to come?! She wasn't even native to Suna. She was just a last minute addition to their team, nothing more.

"You're late," Gaara called, not turning. Ryoka went cold. She walked forward, her expression calm but her face pale.

"Not like you to keep us waiting," Temari sighed, hands on her hips.

"Let us know if you need to make a stop along the way." Ryoka opened her mouth, then closed it, giving in reluctantly. At least visiting Kyoka was along the way. With a quiet sigh, she agreed, following them and leaving Konoha, jumping from branch to branch through the trees. They had been traveling for a few hours in silence when Gaara suddenly spoke.

"Kankuro, Temari, Nadeshiko... Sorry."

His sincere apology surprised them. Kankuro glanced back at his younger brother.

"Don't worry about it," he replied hesitantly. They continued in silence, until Ryoka stopped. She needed to drop off something for Kyoka. It was time.

"Do you need to make a stop here?" Temari questioned, pausing from her place ahead of her. Ryoka nodded.

"We will go ahead to the Village of Trees; Meet us there, okay?" Ryoka nodded. She turned and vanished, checking to make sure she wasn't followed. She arrived at the old bakery in record time, climbing up the window ledge like she had for years.

This time Kyoka was waiting for her. Kyoka opened the window, her face lighting up when she saw Ryoka.

"You aren't covering your face!" She exclaimed. Ryoka smiled softly and placed the small present on her window ledge.

Suddenly Kyoka's eyes widened, her mouth rounding to form a small 'o'.

"Nii-San!" Ryoka's eyes widened. Did her sister really remember her?

"Nii-San! I thought you were dead!" Kyoka's eyes were watering with happiness.

"Wait, please wait, I'm going to come out okay?" She vanished and left, undoubtedly running towards the door. Ryoka felt her lips turn up in a smile. Her heart felt like it was glowing with warmth. She heard the front door of the bakery open and her little sister ran out, throwing her arms around Ryoka in a hug. Ryoka returned it gently, unable to mask her happiness.

"Nii-San, I missed you," Kyoka cried, releasing Ryoka's shirt. Ryoka reached out a hand and touched Kyoka's face, smiling. It was the first time she'd really smiled in a long time.

Then Ryoka's heart stopped with dread.

Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Ryoka felt the presence of enemy ninja behind her and she whirled around, her eyes widening in shock. A shuriken flew from the trees and imbedded itself in her arm. Ryoka's eyes shifted to Kyoka, who hadn't realized the danger.

"Kyoka! Run!" She yelled, her voice too quiet. She hadn't spoken in too long. Kyoka looked up in surprise, her blue eyes slightly confused. Ryoka turned towards the woods just as a dozen shuriken and kunai knives soared in a graceful arc towards them. She watched as one sliced past her left cheek, her head turning to follow it as it flew. The kunai sped past her, towards Kyoka, and Ryoka barely had time to turn, unable to intercept the weapon. Her eyes widened in horror as the knife gleamed in the light, flying towards her sister and imbedding itself into Kyoka's chest with a soft thump.

Kyoka's eyes widened in shock as the kunai pierced her. She looked down, eyes wide, at the weapon protruding from her chest. Her hand trembled as it moved upwards to touch the handle of the knife, from which a dark blood stain was spreading across her chest. Her mouth parted slightly, a tear falling from the corner of her eye. She fell to her knees, and then onto her back, gasping for air. Ryoka ran to her sister's side, eyes wide in panic.

Kyoka's mouth moved, struggling to form words through her ragged breaths.

"N-nii San," she gasped. "I'm s-scared."

A final tear danced down her cheek, into the bloodstained grass, and Kyoka went still, her eyes staring glassily at the sky. Ryoka's eyes widened impossibly, her emotions bordering on insanity.

"_KYOKA_!"

"KYOKA!" Gaara heard the scream even from where he was, only a mile away from Temari and Kankuro. His eyes narrowed. If he recalled correctly, that was Nadeshiko Ryoka's voice. It was hard to tell. He had never heard her in such agony. Eyes narrowing, he leapt from rooftop to rooftop, searching for the source of the scream. It didn't take long. Outside of a bakery, Ryoka was on all fours, gasping, her long hair spilling over her shoulders and into the body of a girl that couldn't be older than ten. Gaara's eyes widened slightly as he felt a strangely familiar presence.

What is this feeling...? His black rimmed eyes widened as a black chakra surrounded Ryoka, her fingernails noticeably sharpening from where they raked across the dirt.

Rather than bubbling, the cloak of chakra surrounding her writhed like a flame, taking on the hazy form of a fiery black wolf. Her head tilted slightly to the side, revealing her eyes. Gaara tensed. Rather than gold, her eyes were completely black with a white starred iris. They weren't human eyes. He jumped down from the roof, landing a few meters away from her. Her head snapped to the side, glaring at him.

"You're a jinchuriki."

She smiled wickedly, revealing pointed canines.

_Wrong, I am the Nana-bi. _

Gaara's eyes narrowed at the sound of the demon. Ryoka stood, her head slightly tilted to one side as Ryoka smiled maniacally.

_You're the host of Shukaku. _

"So what," he replied tonelessly.

_I will kill both of you,_ the demon growled. The fiery chakra rippled, and three wolf tails emerged from the cloak, fiery white markings appearing in the chakra around her face.

"Fight it, Nadeshiko," Gaara said quietly. "You will regret the consequences if you don't."

_Shut up! _The nana-bi hissed through Ryoka's mouth, making her face contort in fury.

Suddenly the beast paused, one of the white irises flickering gold before returning to white.

_Why you...!_

Ryoka's head snapped to the side to glare directly at Gaara.

_This isn't over brat. Next time I will kill you. Both of you. _

Ryoka collapsed on the ground, coughing and gasping for air as her eyes and appearance returned to normal. Gaara stood where he was, arms crossed. She met his eyes forcefully, her gaze full of pain and mistrust as she stumbled to her feet, her hand clutching her chest as of to suppress a deep ache. He followed her silently, knowing better than to speak when she was unstable like this.

She didn't look back at the body lying in the grass.

She made it all the way to a cliff at the edge of the village and fell to all fours, gasping, unable to steady herself. She looked over the edge of the cliff at the flaming desert, the sun setting slowly. Her eyes were wide. Too wide. It was a red sunset. The color of blood. Ryoka winced. Blood. She couldn't stop shaking. Almost subconsciously, Ryoka found herself leaning forwards, over the edge of the cliff. She'd gone a bit too far. She was falling, but she felt strangely calm. If Kyoka was gone, she was worthless. She had no value. Nobody to protect. Kyoka was her sole reason to live. Protect your sister. That was it. And falling would cure the ocean of pain threatening to drown her. It almost made her disappointed when a wall of sand blocked the fall, gently pushing her upright. Ryoka couldn't stop trembling. The pain was still there.

"What are you trying to accomplish by doing that?"

Ryoka heard his voice, but recognition barely registered within her. She felt dead. Numb. Heartless. All she could feel was pain. An aching, agonizing pain that tore through her wave after wave, and it was finally beginning to show. She turned around, facing Gaara. She was shaking uncontrollably, her eyes wide and her legs threatening to give out beneath her. Why her? Why?! What crime had she committed to have everyone she cared about brutally murdered right before her eyes?! Her mother, her father, Kisuke, Saki, Kohaku, her entire village, and now Kyoka... Ryoka was heart broken. She had tried to do things right. She had helped others, she had returned favors, she had listened to people's stories, comforted them, saved lives, and in return she watched her sister, the only family she had left, die in her arms. Ryoka raised her hands in front of her face. They were still covered in blood. Always blood. Why was there always blood?!

"You once told me I needed someone who wasn't afraid of me." Gaara's voice wasn't sympathetic, but it wasn't uncaring either.

She met his eyes with difficulty. It was getting harder to breathe. She was hyperventilating. Her hand went to her chest, clutching her heart. It felt like it was burning.

"What do I need then?!" she demanded, her voice sounding off, a note of insanity there that shouldn't have been. She gasped as she felt her eyes begin to water. She couldn't cry. Tears meant more pain. More pain that she wasn't strong enough to take. Images of laughing Swordsmen, taunting her with daggers, flashed before her eyes. A new scar for every tear. She forced them back, her fear and pain bordering on insanity. She took a step back, where the cliff dropped off, and suddenly Gaara was directly in front of her, pulling her forward away from the edge into a sure and confident embrace. Her eyes widened as his arms tightened slightly around her shoulders.

"You need someone who won't abandon you," he replied softly. She flinched at his words, but he didn't let go. Even more quietly, he murmured, "It's okay to cry."

Kankuro's eyes widened in surprise. He looked at Temari, who had one hand on her hip, a small smile on her face.

"Are they...?"

"Look closely," Temari said, still smiling.

He turned and watched the two, noticing as sparkling tears fell down Ryoka's face, her mouth parted slightly in pain as she returned Gaara's calm embrace.

"Is she...?"

"He's comforting her," she replied smugly. "Just like she did to him."

Kankuro smiled slightly.

"Who would have thought Gaara would come so far," he said, crossing his arms. "Think they'll end up a couple?"

"They'd need a lot of help," Temari said dryly.

"Why's that?"

"Gaara thinks he's returning a favor. He doesn't think of her romantically, and wouldn't recognize his own feelings even if he did."

"Well I know that part," Kankuro said, "But couldn't Ryoka help him along?"

Temari crossed her arms.

"Ryoka has just about as much romantic sense as a turtle," She said firmly.

"Really? With her looks, you'd think..."

"I asked if she was interested in dating and she thought I meant putting dates on paperwork," Temari said bluntly.

Kankuro snorted.

"I think it's time we got both of them on their feet," he said.

"Ah," Temari agreed, turning to watch the two. "I think you're right."

**Last Minute Author's Note: Also, I got a question as to how I update so often, and the answer to that, whether you believe me or not is that I write my story chapters in the notes section of my phone rather than on a computer. That way I can constantly write no matter where I am, like right now on the way to my competition. I know its probably ridiculous to write a forty thousand word+ story on a phone, but that is what enables me to update every other day. So I'm sorry if there are grammatical errors, that would most likely be the autocorrect I missed when editing. See you next time!**


	20. 20 Sunagakure

**Author's Note: Hey everyone, I'm glad I managed to write in time. Im surprised I was able to continue, since all of the plans I had for this story ended at the last chapter except for a small idea here and there. I can't believe I'm at twenty chapters! It feels like everything is going so fast, but I guess that's a good thing too. Please review!**

The group of four arrived at Suna three days after leaving Konoha. They had been silent almost the entire time. Temari shot Ryoka a worried glance. The girl hadn't said a word the entire time, which wasn't surprising, but she hadn't given any emotional responses to what they said either. Usually she would at least nod when she agreed with something or shake her head when she disagreed, but now she was just... Unresponsive. Whatever had happened at their stop on the way must have been pretty bad.

"Ryoka-San," Temari asked suddenly. The girl glanced at Temari. It was the first time the blonde had used her first name.

"Nani?" she questioned softly.

Temari jumped in surprise and Kankuro face planted into Temari, forcing all of them to pause for a moment so that he could regain his balance.

"You can talk?!" He demanded, ignoring the glare Temari shot him.

Ryoka just looked at him.

"Do you have a place to stay in Suna?" Temari asked, ignoring Kankuro.

"I don't need one," she replied quietly.

Gaara turned his gaze to her, but she didn't look at him.

"Don't you need a place to sleep?" Kankuro questioned.

"No."

"You could stay with us," Temari offered, but Ryoka shook her head before Temari finished her sentence.

She didn't say anything else as they approached the sandy buildings of the village.

"At least eat with us. We want to talk with you about our plans in the future," Temari insisted. Ryoka reluctantly agreed. They walked to the center of the hidden village, and Ryoka vaguely wondered where they were going. They had already passed majority of the houses, and the only thing ahead ahead of them was... The Kazekage's quarters. They stopped in front of the large doors.

"Seems quiet now that Father is gone," Kankuro muttered.

"Ah, we will have to play a big role in selecting the new Kazekage," his sister replied solemnly. Ryoka's face drained of color. The Kazekage was their father?! This was bad. This was very bad. She had tried to kill their father. The first people that had acknowledged her besides her family, and she'd already tried to kill someone close to them.

"Ryoka-San? Are you alright?" Temari's concerned voice broke through her inner turmoil. Should she tell them? She had to be honest eventually. She didn't want a friendship based on lies. Soon, she decided. Not right then, but very soon, she would.

She nodded, meeting Temari's eyes. They went inside and servants watched them curiously, wondering who the strange girl with gold eyes was.

Dinner was served for them since they arrived late, and the four of them sat in an awkward silence, until their Jounin, Baki, entered, taking a seat next to Kankuro with a sigh.

"Did you all return without trouble?" He questioned. Temari and Kankuro glanced at each other and then looked at Gaara and Ryoka, who's expressions gave away nothing.

"Yes," Gaara answered, without looking up.

"Will you be officially joining this team, Nadeshiko-San?"

She raised her head and met the Jounin's one visible eye.

"I haven't decided yet," she said softly, and he blinked in surprise at the sound of her voice.

"Why wouldn't you?" Temari questioned haughtily. "I know you were only temporarily assigned for the Exams, but you came to Suna didn't you? What village did you call home before?"

Ryoka blinked and looked to the side, her voice barely audible.

"It doesn't exist," she murmured.

Temari's expression softened slightly.

"Then train with us. You're strong aren't you?"

She didn't answer. Baki cleared his throat.

"Regardless, we can decide that tomorrow morning. If you do train with us, prepare yourself. Suna's training is very different from Konoha's. I expect all four of you to be at the training grounds at seven in the morning, sharp, regardless of your answer." He looked pointedly at Ryoka, who shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

"What are your plans for the future?" Baki asked, turning to Kankuro and Temari.

"We will have to renew our alliance with Konoha. Orochimaru's effect on Suna has left is at a bad disposition," Kankuro said darkly, taking a drink of water.

"We will probably have exchanges, treaties, perhaps even joint missions, but this will be difficult without the Kazekage," Temari continued.

"I'm going to join the regulation forces," Gaara said suddenly, his voice quiet. Baki turned to him in surprise.

"Gaara... Why would you want to do that?"

Gaara didn't answer, instead shifting his gaze to each of them in turn. Ryoka returned his piercing stare calmly. He was mellowing out, she observed. He didn't look as bloodthirsty and cold as before, though he surely had a long way to go.

She stood quietly, finished eating, and showed herself out, feeling the others' gazes follow her out the door. What a predicament she had gotten herself into. Now she had a decision to make before sunrise. On one hand, she didn't have a reason to live. There was no way she could be the Wanderer of the legends without her sister to protect. A dagger of pain sliced through her at the thought of her sister, but she shoved it back, focusing instead on her dilemma. On the other hand, she could choose to protect Gaara. Rather than protecting an innocent life, she would be protecting one who shared her pain. Someone who had seen the worst the world had to offer, like she had. Of course, if she selected that option, shouldn't she feel that way towards all of the jinchuriki she had encountered? Naruto, Killer Bee, Yugito, Utakata... And the others she hadn't met yet, it would be a huge responsibility to keep all of them from harm. There was also the feeling of dread she suffered. The haunting feeling she received every living hour. Everyone she got close to was always killed. Always. She was close to her parents. Killed. She was close to her brother. Killed. She was close to her comrades. All killed. She separated from her sister. Lived. She returned to her sister. Killed. It was a living nightmare. The main reason she didn't want to join Gaara's team. Wouldn't her curse find a way to kill them? They had acknowledged her, even been kind to her. The last thing she wanted was for them to be hurt. Perhaps she could protect Gaara from a distance? He was strong, so he should be able to protect himself from most things. Besides, fighting from the shadows was something she excelled at, and had mastered years ago. She nodded to herself. So be it. She wouldn't be joining that team.

She glanced at the waning moon. She was tired from the journey, but she hadn't slept for several years. She wouldn't be starting now. She climbed to the roof of the Kazekage building, figuring it was as good a place as any to watch the sky all night. She was surprised to find someone already there. His back was to her, the moon in front of him, outlining his silhouette in the warm air. She was about to leave when he spoke without turning around.

"Where are you going?" It was the second time he had asked her that question.

"Nowhere," she replied quietly. He turned, his pale green eyes glaring at her.

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

He tried to stare her down a bit longer before turning back to face the sliver of moon.

"You're a jinchuriki."

She didn't answer. It wasn't a question. She walked over to him and sat by his side, wrapping her arms loosely around her knees.

"Why didn't you tell anyone?"

She flicked her gaze up to him. Why hadn't she told anyone? Despite the fact that she had never spoken, why did she keep all of her emotions and history to herself? She was silent for a long time before finally answering.

"It hurts less," she said finally, breaking from his gaze and looking at the sky.

"If people get too close... Everyone gets hurt."

Gaara frowned slightly at her response.

"Who was she?"

Ryoka's blood seemed to freeze in her veins, despite the warm temperature.

Why was he asking? Why care? Because she had broken down like a weak coward when the last of her family died? She reddened in humiliation. She had cried for almost an hour before going unconscious. After that she had woken up with the three of them watching, concerned. Words couldn't describe her embarrassment.

"Sister," she choked out eventually, pushing pack the familiar knife of pain.

That was enough. She couldn't talk anymore. Enough talking for one day. She wasn't used to it.

"I see." That was all he said. She sighed, getting to her feet, and walked away, about to leap off the roof when he said one last thing.

"I look forward to training with you tomorrow."

She fell much harder than she had intended, due to surprise, loudly hitting her head on the window ledge halfway down. Gaara cocked his head slightly to the side, listening as she swore under her breath. His lips twitched in the ghost of a smile.

Ryoka rubbed her head, wincing as she walked through the empty streets. Gaara would just have to be disappointed tomorrow, she tried to convince herself. There was no way she could join that team. She repeated it over and over in her mind, but it seemed like each time she said it her resolve weakened. Why did he just assume she would be joining them? As if she didn't have a choice. She scowled. They should all be happy she was leaving. Even if she didn't have a place to go, or a legend to fulfill... It was for the best, wasn't it? She could still stay in the vicinity, even if it was just for dire situations. She had to keep her resolve, at least until morning.

The sun rose slowly over the sand dunes in Suna's distance as if the sun was taking its time in casting its scorching heat across the barren desert. Ryoka blinked in the light, taking that to mean that it was around six thirty, and promptly climbed down from a random rooftop, much more graceful than her last attempt. She walked to the training grounds she had located the night before, confident she was in the correct place when she saw Baki and Temari already there. Kankuro and Gaara arrived shortly after she did, and as soon as they were there, Baki took a letter out of his vest pocket, offering it to Ryoka.

"This came in today by messenger," he said. Ryoka sighed. If she got one more complaint letter from the Mist she was going to return personally. It wasn't her fault the Mizukage had noticed a certain wanderer doing her job. To her surprise, the letter had a Konoha stamp. She opened it and read the first line of the formal document, her eyes narrowing.

"You've got to be kidding me," she sighed under her breath.

Temari glanced over her shoulder.

"Dear Participant," the blonde read aloud. "We are pleased to inform you that you, Nadeshiko Ryoka, have been deemed by the judges as worthy to become a Chuunin. As you know, this entitles you to be required to participate in missions on a team for at least a six month period..." Temari grinned smugly, hands on her hips.

"I guess you will be joining us after all."

Ryoka just stared at the paper. This was a sick joke. She hasn't even put up a fight in the third rounds! Was this even legal? She sighed, shoving the paper into her pockets before facing the others expectantly. Apparently today would be her first day of training on a team.

"Lets assess your strength," Baki suggested once they'd finished practicing with shurikens and kunai knives.

"I don't want you fighting your team mates, but others are training here too. When I return, be prepared to fight one on one matches."

Ryoka nodded and Baki left.

"All the other teams are pretty tough too, so keep up your guard," Temari advised. Ryoka nodded, apprehensive. She'd only been in a one on one match once, when she had been fighting Kin, and she had very nearly lost. Maki returned a moment later with three boys, each maybe fourteen, at his side. They grinned at her.

"Ready to fight?" One challenged. She nodded, taking her stance.

Exactly one hour later, each of them had been defeated. Ryoka was breathing heavily, tired. It was hard, much harder than she had thought, to get used to one on one combat. She had barely won, and the only reason she'd managed to win after the first match was because the other two charged her out of anger immediately after, and weren't thinking logically. Baki nodded in approval.

"Why don't you try sparring with Gaara, Nadeshiko-San?" He suggested.

Ryoka straightened up, taking deep breaths to cool off.

Gaara looked over, uninterested. Baki turned to him.

"I don't want you to kill her Gaara. This is just training. Do not injure or fatally wound her if you can help it okay?"

"I understand," Gaara replied shortly, crossing his arms. He faced Ryoka.

"Come," he said. She met his eyes curiously. He didn't have that insane glint in his eyes. He seemed surprisingly level headed.

Gaara closed his eyes.

"If you don't attack, then I will."

It took only an instant. Gaara vanished faster than her eyes could trace, and suddenly he was behind her, a dagger of sand in his hand, held about an inch from her neck. Her eyes widened slightly. He was fast.

Baki frowned slightly.

"Match Gaara," he announced. Gaara let the sand melt out of his hand and return to his gourd. Ryoka turned around to face the others. Temari smirked.

"I guess there's always room for improvement," she said smugly, hands on her hips.

Ryoka nodded. Obviously. Maybe with training she could manage to get on equal footing with the Sand jinchuriki. After all, she had to be at least as strong to protect him. Or perhaps in this case, as fast. He would just have to protect himself until then.

_You could be stronger. You could be stronger than all of them._

No, nana-bi, she replied mentally. That would be you, not me. The full moon was long gone, and as soon as it disappeared this month she had a plan. It was about time she dealt with the seven tails. They had both been waiting long enough.


	21. 21 Rebuilding Broken Bonds

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! I think I'm on a roll with this early updating thing! :) I hope you like this chapter, which is kind of my filler chapter, since I need some time before the next few events. Gaara can't become Kazekage one week after the Chuunin Exams, (sadly) so I have to have some time in between. Luckily there were a couple of episodes in Shipudden that gave me some insight, so I'll be working with that. Please review, I really appreciate y'all's support!**

"Joint mission?" Temari questioned, looking at Baki in surprise.

"Ah," the Jounin replied. "It was requested immediately to strengthen ties with Konoha after the incident at the Chuunin exams."

"Who did the council decide to send?"

"Two rookies, Yaoki and Korobi, as well as Gaara."

"Gaara?!" Temari exclaimed. Baki nodded.

"Since he's enlisted under the regular forces it can't be helped."

Temari sighed.

"I hope nothing goes wrong. Should we send Ryoka-San? She needs some experience in handling missions with a team."

"I will discuss it with the elders. It shouldn't be an issue," Baki replied. Temari nodded, turning to leave. Joint mission, huh? She had to admit that they needed it. Konoha probably had some trust issues with Suna that needed to be resolved, and the sooner the better. She found Ryoka on the roof, just like she had the past few nights. It had taken a lot of persuasion, but Ryoka had finally agreed, albeit reluctantly, to stay with them, though she rarely went indoors.

"Ryoka-San," Temari called from the ground. Ryoka leapt down gracefully, putting her hands in her pockets and looking at the female ninja questioningly.

"You and Gaara are taking a mission with some rookies, okay? It's a joint mission with Konoha, so be prepared."

Ryoka frowned slightly, confused.

"Why? I'm not enlisted under the regular forces." Her voice was still quiet from disuse, but Temari had a feeling it would be soft even once she got used to speaking.

"You need experience with teamwork," Temari contradicted smoothly.

Ryoka's confusion grew. As far as she knew, only regular force ninjas were assigned missions. Lack of experience or not, it seemed like there had been lots of exceptions and loopholes in her status lately. Dismissing it for the time being, she agreed to get ready and went to look for Gaara. She found him getting his things together in his room.

He looked up sharply as she entered, strapping his gourd to his back.

"Yaoki and Korobi are waiting," he said emotionlessly, walking past her. She followed him silently, wondering how this would play out.

The first thing Ryoka noticed upon meeting the two rookies was their nervous and hesitant manner towards Gaara. She had expected it, but it still disappointing. It would take time, lots of time, before jinchuriki could be accepted by everyone. They departed immediately, after getting mission details from Baki, and sped towards the rendezvous point, only a few hours from Sunagakure. There was very little conversation on the way, except for the occasional alert or change of direction, and they reached their destination quickly. The team from Konoha had beat them there. Ryoka stayed back as Gaara stepped forward to greet them. She was surprise to see none other than Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi waiting for them.

"Sorry we are late," Gaara apologized sincerely, making them all look up in surprise. Sasuke's eyes narrowed, hiding his surprise. Sakura looked afraid, and Naruto just looked shocked for a moment.

"Gaara?!" The blonde exclaimed.

After a moment, Kakashi met Gaara's eyes calmly.

"Ah... don't worry Gaara-kun, you're right on time; we got here a little early, that's all," the Jounin replied easily.

There was a splash as Yaoki and Korobi waded through the water, holding their weapons up over their heads, clearly unable to walk on top of the water like the jinchuriki could. Ryoka frowned slightly, tentatively putting her foot on the water surface. Was walking on water like walking up walls? She focused chakra into her feet and stood carefully, balancing on the water's surface. There. She could stand on water as long as she didn't walk. She stood, watching the water beneath her feet curiously before turning her gaze to Gaara and the ninja from Konoha.

She blinked in surprise as Naruto tossed a rock at Gaara. Sand immediately sprung up to deflect it and she watched in amusement as the two rookies fled back to her side in fear, hiding behind the foliage of the woods.

"Those two are Yaoki and Korobi. They are new, please be patient with them," Gaara requested with a slight bow. He then turned to Ryoka.

"This is-"

"Nadeshiko Ryoka," Kakashi finished for him automatically. Kakashi was watching her with an unreadable expression.

Ryoka nodded at them, unsure of how to greet them. They weren't exactly strangers, but not quite friends either. Three jinchuriki on one joint mission... What could possibly go wrong?

"Ryoka-chan?" Naruto questioned, putting both hands behind his head, thinking.

"Oh, I remember. You were the one that never talked," he said, nodding to himself.

"You joined Suna?" Sasuke's voice was dark. She met his eyes evenly, sensing a slight challenge in his tone and refusing to back down from it.

"I did," she said quietly, making them jump in surprise. She almost smiled. It never ceased to amuse her when she saw the others' reactions to hearing her voice. Sasuke's eyes narrowed slightly, but he didn't say anything else. She studied his expression. It was darker than before, but not quite dangerous. At least not yet. It must be the seal, she decided. There was no way he would get that... Dark... From his family incident. She listened quietly as Kakashi and Gaara discussed plans. Naruto ran across the water, stopping in front of her and squinting into her face. She tried to take a step back, but she was standing on water, and only succeeded in temporarily losing her balance. Sand appeared beneath her feet, steadying her, and she glanced at Gaara in surprise. He hadn't moved an inch and his back was still to her.

"Watch yourself, Nadeshiko," he said quietly, turning his head slightly to look at her from the corner of his eye. She nodded, feeling her face redden. She stepped back into the grass to see Naruto grinning, hands behind his head.

"Ne, ne, Ryoka-chan, if you want to walk on water, you just have to push chakra out of your feet instead of trying to stick to it," he explained. She blinked. So that was the trick. She knew it had to be something like that.

"Did you really not learn that?" Naruto asked curiously. Her blush deepened.

"There isn't much water in Suna," she defended herself shortly. She guessed this probably wasn't the best time to mention that she couldn't swim either.

The mission went relatively smoothly, the only mishap being a few assassins sent by the higher ups in Suna to kill Gaara, but those were taken care of quickly by Ryoka and Naruto. She had gained a minor injury, a claw induced scratch on her upper arm, but she was a fast healer and paid it no mind. They wiped out the rogue ninjas they were targeting successfully, working as a team the way they were meant to, and soon the two teams departed, each returning to their respective village.

Yaoki and Korobi took the lead, while Gaara and Ryoka followed, eyes trained ahead.

"Nadeshiko, do you heal as fast as most jinchuriki?"

She stiffened, glancing ahead to make sure the two rookies couldn't overhear their conversation.

"Hai," she replied softly, looking straight ahead.

"Your arm hasn't healed."

She glanced at the injury. The three angry red lines were throbbing faintly, the bleeding having stopped but the skin around it slightly inflamed.

"It shouldn't be a problem," she replied quietly, slightly nervous even as she said it. The only reason it wouldn't be healing was if it was poisoned, and Ryoka had little to no experience in that area. She opened and closed her hand, trying to dispel the numb feeling traveling through her arm. After Gaara's observation it took less than half an hour for Ryoka to start noticing side effects. She swore quietly as dizziness made her pause for an instant, her hands digging into the branch of a tree before she leapt forward, continuing regardless. She felt too warm, her head spinning. Black was beginning to appear at the edges of her vision. She shook her head to clear it, which only made it worse, and she reached out to grab a branch to help her regain her footing. Pain exploded in her arm as she closed her hand around the bark and she grit her teeth. This was so stupid. She crouched, ready to take off again when a hand grabbed her shoulder, stopping her.

"Stop. You're going to hurt yourself."

She blinked, her vision blurring out of focus. She felt another wave of heat pass through her and she fell unconscious.

_She was in a room of black. Her footsteps made small white ripples beneath her feet, as if she was walking on a moonlit lake. In front of her, a giant cage, made up of flickering black fire rose high above her. She could only see darkness within the cage when a terrifyingly menacing glowing white eye opened slowly, hauntingly. _

**It's rare that you visit me, kid****_. _**

_The voice was much darker here... Much... Closer. _

**Who are you?**_She heard her mind ask. _

_The beast snarled, revealing long, razor sharp teeth that gleamed almost as white as its eyes. _

_**Who do you think?**__ It growled. _

_**I know you're the seven tails, but that's not what I'm asking. Don't you have a name?**_

_For a moment she could have sworn a flicker of surprise passed through the beast's cold eyes, but then it was gone, and Ryoka wondered if she had imagined it. _

_**It's none of your business. Go back to your world**__. _

_She grimaced. _

_**I can't. **__She looked at her arm. __**Something about this injury won't let me go back yet... **__She trailed off and turned her head quickly in surprise as the seven tails snarled, it's head snapping forward to look at her. _

_**You idiot! **__It growled. __**That means you're dying!**_

_She frowned. A poisoned scratch in her arm caused all this? What a pitiful way to die. _

_She looked back at the beast, changing the subject. _

_**So if you won't tell me your name, why are you so keen on killing both Shukaku and me?**_

_The beast leapt to its feet from behind the flaming bars, revealing its full wolf shape with seven flickering tails. _

_**Don't you care about your life?**__ It hissed at her, a wolf like growl building in its throat. _

_**It can't be helped, **__she replied lightly. __**If I can't force my way out of here there isn't much I can do right now, is there?**_

_This made the wolf growl so loudly that white ripples spread from the midnight colored floor, reverberating around the room. _

_**You waste your life**__, it snarled. She glared back. _

_**I have nothing to live for,**__ she snapped._

_**Don't pity yourself. **_

_Her teeth clenched. _

_**What would you know? You live to kill. You threaten to destroy me every month when the moon disappears. What right to you have to talk about the value of my life?! You're the one that wants to end it!**_

_**I don't want to end it!**_

_Ryoka's mouth dropped open in shock. The wolf turned away from the front of the cage. _

_**I'll get you out. Don't do anything stupid. **__It sat in the back of its cage, glaring at her. _

_She felt a strange sensation of chakra surrounding her arm, and the even stranger sensation of the injury on her arm seeming to lessen in pain. A moment later, her surroundings blurred away and her eyes opened. _

She found herself staring directly into teal colored black rimmed eyes, watching her closely. She sat up quickly, making him blink and shift away from her slightly. She put a hand to her head, feeling an intense headache coming on.

"You fell unconscious."

Well obviously. She glanced at her arm. Fresh bandages covered it, concealing whatever was left of the injury.

"I told Yaoki and Korobi to go ahead. We can leave when you are ready."

She nodded, saying something she hardly ever said.

"I'm sorry."

Gaara didn't answer, instead turning to look at the forest around them, leaning against the tree at her side, an arm resting on his knee.

"Why did you join the regular forces?" She asked softly, the question coming out of nowhere. He glanced at her. It was a long while before he answered.

"I have a goal, despite whatever the higher ups think, to become the Kazekage," he said finally, still looking straight ahead.

She glanced at him in surprise.

"Even if people fear and hate me now, I want to gain their respect. That way... Maybe I can become like him... Someone who fights for his comrades."

"Him?" She questioned quietly. His lips twitched.

"Uzumaki Naruto."

"Oh."

He turned to glance at her questioningly.

"What about you? Why did you stay?"

She shrugged slightly, but he watched her with focused eyes, expecting an answer. She leaned her head back against the tree.

"I suppose just because you were right," she said finally.

"I needed someone who wouldn't abandon me and you didn't, even when the nana-bi was taking over."

Surprise flicked across his features, vanishing almost instantly.

"I see."

They sat in a comfortable silence until Gaara asked one other question that surprised Ryoka.

"Why didn't you fear me when you met me?"

Ryoka looked away quickly, not wanting to give anything away. She could tell him that she had seen him as a child and tried to kill his father for bad parenting and gotten herself banished, but she doubted that would be taken very well. Instead, she decided to bend the truth slightly.

"I didn't have a reason to."

"I killed for blood."

"You never threatened me," she said quietly. His eyes widened slightly and he thought back, undoubtedly trying to remember.

"Lets go, I feel fine now," she said quickly, trying to get to her feet. He grabbed her arm, carefully pulling her the rest of the way up and she gave him a short nod of thanks before jumping into the trees. After a brief hesitation, the red haired jinchuriki followed.

Kankuro and Temari were waiting for them at Suna's entrance. Temari had her arms crossed. When she saw the two of them arriving alone, she raised an eyebrow questioningly. Neither one of them said a word. After asking what had happened and receiving no answer, she frowned, frustrated.

"You two are too quiet for your own good," she said. "Go back and get ready for dinner, its my turn to cook tonight." Kankuro paled.

"Hey, Ryoka, can you cook?" He asked quietly, as soon as Temari was out of earshot.

She shrugged. More or less.

"I think you should help Temari so that we don't get poisoned."

Ryoka glanced behind her. Even Gaara's usually emotionless face looked slightly sick at the mention of his sister's cooking. She gave the puppet master a short nod. Maybe this could make up for her staying with them.

Kankuro sighed in relief.

"Thanks, we owe you one," he said enthusiastically, clapping her on the shoulder before turning to catch up with his sister.

"You two take your time," he called suggestively over his shoulder, vanishing around the corner.

Gaara walked ahead and Ryoka followed quietly, thinking about what the seven tails had told her. What did she have to live for? She glanced at Gaara, a couple of steps in front of her. Him? Temari? Kankuro?

Why did nana-bi think she was wasting her life? Why did it bother the beast in the first place? She considered asking, but the seven tails was completely unresponsive, blocking out every thought she had. She looked at Gaara. Did he talk to Shukaku? They obviously weren't on friendly terms. She didn't blame him. Shukaku had an insane personality. It would drive anyone off the edge.

At least he had a goal though. Become the Kazekage. She couldn't think of a better suited job for him. As long as he stayed calm like he had been recently, he would be an excellent Kazekage. Did that mean she had to step up her game too? She grinned slightly. She looked forward to it.

**Last Minute Author's Note: In answer to the question I received earlier, I'm a dancer, and participate in dance competitions two or three times a year. I'd also like to thank everyone for their positive feedback, reviews, and constructive criticism, and for those of you who pointed out the glitches in Ryoka's status as a Sand Shinobi rather than a Konoha shinobi, I am working out the details of that whole process and hope to get to that part of the story soon. By the way, if you catch any more inconsistencies or possible mistakes, please let me know so that I can explain or fix them. Thanks again! **


	22. 22 Long Lost Comrade

**Author's Note: I am so so so sorry for missing last time's update everyone, I have been having a crazy weekend, and a couple of things haven't been going too well so I did have to skip. This chapter is short, but I will be posting a second one later on today (hopefully) after I get some things I have to do done. If it isn't too much to ask, please review, I'd really appreciate it.**

Ryoka entered the dining room for the third time in her life, instinctively nervous inside her team's living quarters. It was ridiculously easy to get lost in the Kazekage building. All of the hallways looked the same.

"Miss, would you like something to drink?"

Ryoka winced at the staff member's formality towards her. Being addressed as superior to someone felt... Almost unnatural. She shook her head, taking her seat across from Gaara and turning her head as Kankuro walked in, closely followed by an angry Temari.

"Kankuro, I told you not to interfere!" The blonde exclaimed angrily.

"Calm down, I didn't do anything wrong," he muttered, walking in with a yawn. He sat in his seat with a sigh as Temari continued, crossing her arms angrily.

"Bending the rules around here was dangerous enough when we had a Kazekage. It's important to do what we are supposed to now that we don't."

"Did something happen?" Gaara asked quietly, resting his chin on his clasped hands.

"Nothing important," Kankuro replied, dismissing the subject.

"How's your training going?" He asked Ryoka, in an attempt to change the topic. Sadly, striking up a conversation with the quietest person any of them knew wasn't the sharpest idea. She merely shrugged, glancing at Gaara. She had started training with him after she had returned from the joint mission, since she knew for a fact that he was stronger. For the most part it was one sided training, where he would stand or sit somewhere as she tried to penetrate his absolute defense. Though she hadn't yet broken through, she had confidence her taijutsu was improving.

They ate in silence for a while until Kankuro casually brought up a new topic.

"We were asked to teach a new group of kids to use weapons in a few days."

Ryoka choked on the water she had been drinking, hoping she had misheard. Teaching kids to use weapons?! She was not the type to be teaching anyone anything, and certainly not how to use weapons.

Temari hid a smile at Ryoka's reaction.

"Why?" Gaara asked tonelessly.

"They want us to gain experience. Transferring from student to teacher,so to speak."

Temari shot him a glare.

"They actually just wanted Kankuro but he signed the rest of us up so that the class could be divided up into groups."

So that's what the argument had been about. Ryoka stood abruptly, her chair grating across the ground loudly and causing the siblings to glance at her in surprise.

She walked out quickly, not looking at them, exiting to the sandy streets of Suna. There was no way they could push her into this one. Not a chance. She just wanted to protect Gaara. That didn't include teaching little kids to fight. She sighed aloud. It was too soon for her to be near young children again. Too soon after Kyoka. She passed several shops, some of which were actually bright and festive, in stark contrast to the sandy color of the rest of the environment. She noticed a few cold stares following her, but ignored it. She was somewhat of a stranger here after all. She didn't bother wearing the traditional attire worn in Suna, preferring her home village's more flexible and comfortable uniform, so despite her talent for blending in, she stood out as a foreigner. It didn't take long. Less than an hour had passed when Ryoka felt familiar teal eyes watching her. She turned and saw Gaara on the roof, eyes following her down the street. It was unnecessary, but she appreciated it. Ever since he'd told her she needed someone who wouldn't abandon her he was constantly making sure she wasn't alone for too long, and was usually nearby when she went out alone. She met his eyes and he jumped down in front of her.

"Kankuro and Temari are coming," he said evenly. She nodded.

"Will you train with me?" she asked quietly. She felt kind of tense, like he needed to burn off some stress. He nodded and they walked to one of Suna's many training grounds.

"You don't want to teach." It wasn't a question, so she didn't bother answering. He sat by a boulder, leaning against it with one arm resting on his knee. She threw six shuriken, knowing none of them would hit their mark. Sand flew up to block it as it always did, and she vanished, appearing to his left and swinging her leg around. She was met with a rock hard barrier of sand. She twisted as the sand wrapped around her leg, bringing her fist around and gathering chakra in her hand. She wasn't fast enough. Sand caught her fist in an iron grip.

"Retaliate instinctively. Don't use all of your energy at the beginning," Gaara advised, his black rimmed eyes carefully following her movements.

She nodded and attacked again, only to be blocked. The sand was fast. After almost an hour she stopped, walking over and sitting next to Gaara with a sigh.

After a moment of silence, he asked her a question.

"Doesn't your tailed Beast have some kind of power like Shukaku's sand?" He questioned in a low voice. She frowned, nodding.

"I never use it, but it happens of its own accord when I am surrounded by darkness."

He glanced at her.

"Darkness?"

She nodded. "I am weakest when the moon disappears. When there is darkness, the demon comes out."

He didn't say anything for a while, but she could practically feel his curiosity. She gave in eventually, telling him what he wanted to know.

"It forces people to relive their greatest fears and worst memories," she said softly. She looked at the ground beneath her feet, drawing aimlessly in the dust with her finger.

"Everyone around me was afraid... When they saw me at night, they saw their worst memories, they saw what they feared the most, something they hated. A demon." Her voice was barely more than a whisper. It wasn't sad. The way she said it was matter of fact, like she was talking about someone she didn't know.

She sensed his eyes on her, but she didn't look up. When she looked at the ground she saw that she had subconsciously drawn the symbol of her village. The one engraved into her forehead protector. Just then, Temari and Kankuro approached the two of them.

"Training?" Temari questioned. Gaara gave a curt nod. Ryoka stood up and took a few steps towards Temari.

Suddenly out of nowhere a person shot out from the side and slammed into Ryoka, pinning her to one of the few trees in the training area by her neck. Ryoka, surprised, reacted instinctively, grabbing her attacker's arm to snap it in half when a voice stopped her.

"Kami, Ryoka you are such an idiot. I am so pissed at you right now I can barely look at you. What have you done to yourself?"

Ryoka's eyes snapped up to meet the eyes of a young girl, her fingers tightening around Ryoka's neck as her anger showed on her features.

"S-Saki?!"


	23. 23 Gaara's Offer

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! I'm so excited that I managed to get this chapter up in time. I hope this makes up for missing last time! I'm really looking forward to writing, especially since I only have two more chapters to go before we get to Kazekage Gaara! Woah, that means I've almost written my way to Shippudden. Things are gonna get exciting:) please review as always!**

"Saki?!"

Ryoka's eyes widened as sand sprung in between them, forcing Saki away from Ryoka and raising threateningly around the girl.

"It's okay, Gaara," Ryoka said softly. Gaara looked at her for a moment, blinked, and allowed the sand to return to his gourd.

"Actually, Ryoka, you may want to have your boyfriend keep that sand up, because I am this close to strangling you right now."

"I thought you were dead," Ryoka said quietly, looking at the ground.

"Didn't bother to check, did you?" Saki snapped, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Ryoka looked at the ground.

"Kohaku gets a knife in his neck and you go hear his last words before ditching the village. But me? No, you just assume I'm dead with a knife in my back. Well guess what, honey? You had a knife in your own back earlier that day so you should KNOW that kind of thing won't kill me."

Ryoka's eyes widened slightly. Temari and Kankuro were watching with confused expressions and Gaara looked tense, like he was ready to attack Saki again at any given moment.

"I was trying-"

"You were trying to what?" Saki demanded. "Protect your little sister? Well how well did that work out? She's DEAD now."

Ryoka flinched.

"You're so weak, Ryoka," Saki spat.

"Urusai," Gaara snarled quietly. Saki turned to face the boy, hands on her hips.

"You have no right to tell me to be quiet. All of you barely know anything about her. What do you know, just her name? Maybe a bit of her abilities? Please. I've been following her since our home was destroyed."

"Destroyed?" Temari questioned.

Ryoka's eyes snapped up to meet Saki's.

"Followed?" She questioned softly, her voice dark.

Saki grinned venomously at Ryoka.

"That's right. I watched you leave, and I saw almost everything up to now. It wasn't that hard, really. We are from Shadow, you know? Following unseen is something we are good at."

"You saw... My sister..."

Saki's smile faded slightly.

"Ah, I saw what happened."

Ryoka closed her eyes as her hands curled into fists. She forced her voice to a deadly calm.

"You saw enemy ninja attack my sister... And you did nothing but watch?"

Saki's expression darkened.

"Kohaku died protecting your sister. I had no obligation to do anything for you. I still hate you just as much as I did th-"

"I'm glad you're alive, Saki."

Ryoka turned so that her back was to her old comrade.

"Please stop talking. I'd really hate it if I killed you." Ryoka walked away slowly without looking back.

"As if you could," Saki scoffed. She turned to the other three.

"Who are you?" Temari demanded angrily, one hand on her fan.

"Hanate Saki. I was on Ryoka's team in my village. I suppose you're Temari, Kankuro, and Gaara."

They each stiffened at the sounds of their names.

"What do you want?" Gaara asked icily, arms crossed.

Saki's expression saddened, and suddenly she wasn't the arrogant enemy she had been a moment ago.

Now serious, she met Gaara's eyes.

"You guys probably can't tell, but Ryoka needs a bit of pressure to be stronger right now. She's always trying to do things on her own and that's going to get her killed. I've been following her but I can't interfere in her fights because of the injury I got in my village. All I can do is push her forward, and the only way to do that is by annoying the hell out of her."

"What happened to your village?" Kankuro asked. Saki turned to look at Ryoka walking away.

"It's a long story, honestly. Our village's strength was really in the fact that we went unnoticed on most maps. We were rarely targeted because we never started trouble. That's why very few have heard of it. Unfortunately, when we are targeted there isn't much that we can do."

"What about Ryoka?" Temari asked. Saki turned to look at the blonde.

"What about her?"

"What happened to her?"

Saki snorted.

"That story would take years to tell. Lets just say she's had a messed up life and leave it at that."

For a moment there was a silence.

"Where are you staying now that you're in Suna?" Kankuro questioned.

"Here and there, it generally depends."

"You could stay with us-" Temari offered, but she was cut off by Gaara.

"Temari," he interrupted darky.

"Really? That would be great if its fine with you guys," Saki replied, flashing Temari a dazzling smile.

The blonde returned it. Gaara eyed Saki with dislike, but didn't protest. The four of them returned to the Kazekage's quarters, walking in and welcoming the coolness of the building.

Ryoka was in her room, and she glanced up as they walked by.

"I'll be staying here for a while," Saki said coolly. "Hope you're fine with that."

Ryoka just watched the girl, her face expressionless, before wordlessly turning back to whatever she had been doing previously.

"Um, Hanate-San, Ryoka is using the guest room, so you may have to share with her..." Kankuro mentioned uneasily.

"I'm sure we will get along just great," Saki replied, her voice dripping with venom. Ryoka sighed inwardly, but didn't complain.

Temari continued, talking to Saki politely as Kankuro followed soon after. Gaara stayed behind, watching Ryoka for a moment. She returned to fixing her forehead protector. The screws that went through the metal plate had a tendency to loosen because of the second plate behind it.

She tightened the first one, extremely aware of Gaara's watchful gaze.

"You can stay in my room... If you don't want to share with her. I'm not there very often," he offered quietly. Ryoka froze in surprise, cutting her finger on the edge of the screw. She turned around as Gaara slowly walked in.

"Th-thank you," she said hesitantly. To be honest she probably wouldn't be spending much time in either one of the rooms. She didn't like the trapped feeling of being indoors. She jerked back in surprise when she felt Gaara take her hand, examining the cut on her finger. His hands were surprisingly cool, in contrast to the heat of the desert outside.

"It's already healing," he observed. She nodded. The cut slowly closed and vanished altogether, leaving only a couple drops of blood to remain. He released her hand and she let it fall back into her lap, where both plates rested. He glanced at the two symbols depicted in the metal, but made no comment. He slowly turned to leave, and Ryoka suddenly wanted to say something.

"G-Gaara," she said quietly. He paused, waiting for her to speak.

"I-I think I might like staying with you," she blurted before she could stop herself. He turned, his eyes widening in surprise. She felt her cheeks redden.

"You... Want to?" He questioned incredulously, as if he couldn't believe it. She nodded.

"A-And... Thanks for looking out for me... With Saki... And all the other times."

Her blush deepened. Why was she feeling so nervous? Had talking always been this difficult?

He stood there for a moment, watching her with a surprised expression before his eyes softened just slightly. He nodded.

"You're welcome."

With that he turned and left, his footsteps barely audible as he walked down the hallway.

Ryoka frowned slightly. She wondered if she would be letting Gaara down by not teaching the class Kankuro had signed them up for. She wondered vaguely if Gaara would even participate. He didn't seem like the type to get pushed into doing something he didn't want to do, but then again, how would she know what type of person he was? All she really knew that he was changing for the better, and doing an incredibly impressive job of it. It seemed the red haired boy had been taking up a lot of her thoughts lately. She shoved the notion out of her mind as soon as she thought it. There was no point in thinking like that. Nothing to gain whatsoever. She stood, finally finished with the forehead protector, and tied it around her head, letting her bangs fall over the symbol like they always did. She examined her hair with a frown. It was long enough that it brushed her hips. She would have to cut it off if it started getting in the way. She braided it into one long black braid and walked out. There were some things she had to clear up with Saki. As much as she hated talking, this couldn't wait.


	24. 24 The Child of the Moon

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! This chapter was so much fun to write. One more chapter and then on to Shippudden, I suppose. Im really hoping that my storyline works out, I'm just trying to find a way to keep everyone in character. Especially Saki with her whole alter ego thing. It's tough, but I'm enjoying it and I hope you are too! Thanks for all of the positive feedback. Please review!**

"Saki."

Ryoka fidgeted nervously at the door. It opened a moment later, revealing her old teammate on the other side.

"What do you want?" She demanded haughtily, crossing her arms.

"C-Can I come in?"

Twenty minutes later, Saki stood angrily from her seat, facing the window.

"I don't owe you anything. Give me one good reason why I should do this for you."

"Ryoka didn't answer, just looking down at her hands folded in her lap.

"Tch, you have some nerve, asking me for a favor." She turned to face Ryoka, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Tell you what. Fight me, and if you manage to win, I'll do it."

"Fight you? Can you fight?" Ryoka questioned softly, surprised.

Saki's eyes narrowed.

"Of course. But if I win, what will you do?"

Ryoka blinked in surprise.

"I don't know," she said honestly.

"Alright, if I win, then you have to tell those three siblings about what a monster you really are."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Ryoka said softly, her voice dark and dangerous.

Saki smirked.

"Oh yes you do. It was what, six months after becoming a little Wanderer? I think that's fair enough."

Ryoka grit her teeth.

"Fine, but if you lose, you won't tell anyone about my past or what led to today," she returned.

Saki smirked.

"Suit yourself. Lets take this somewhere else, shall we?"

Ryoka opened the window and stood precariously on the ledge, nodding towards the lands outside of the village to dictate that Saki should follow. She vanished to the left and Saki's smirk faded, until her expression was serious and sad. It was more difficult than she had thought, protecting someone you cared about. She approached the window, watching Ryoka's back, remembering what her parents had told her the night of the ambush. Was the jinchuriki too lost for even her to reach? Her gaze snapped to the right as a flash of red coughs her eye. Her eyes narrowed as she recognized Gaara. He was in the way. He was ruining Ryoka. She glared at him before climbing to the edge of the window to follow Ryoka. He could wait. This fight couldn't. She carefully switched back to her arrogant pretense. Six years later and she was still pretending to hate Ryoka. It was a shame really. Faking hatred like this. She caught up to Ryoka and followed her with a scowl, pretending to act superior when in reality, she had never felt so unequal.

_Wap!_ Saki's leg connected with Ryoka's stomach and sent the girl backwards. Ryoka rolled quickly, flipping over Saki's outstretched arm and swinging her leg around, trying to trip up her opponent. Saki jumped over her leg and caught Ryoka's hand as it jabbed towards her. Ryoka's clenched her teeth. She shouldn't be fighting the last living comrade from her home. So why was she so angry? Why did he feel like Saki had betrayed her?

Saki twisted Ryoka's arm behind her back and forced Ryoka to the ground, pinning her on her stomach.

_"Saki, stay away from that child. She's a monster. You shouldn't be friends with someone like that." Her mother looked down at her with worried eyes. _

_"Don't say that, Haruna," her father reprimanded gently. "That family has been through hell and back. It would be nice if Saki was friendly. The Nadeshiko clan plays a very important part in our history."_

_"I don't understand all that," a young Saki complained. _

_"Nadeshiko Ryoka... It's ironic that she was the only one compatible with the beast."_

_"Why's that?" Her mother questioned. _

_"She's commonly referred to as the child of the moon."_

Ryoka twisted around, forcing Saki back. She ducked as Saki tossed three shuriken, catching one in her teeth and hurling it back while rolling to the side, forming a seal as a clone melted from the shadows. Saki threw a kunai at the clone and it vanished in a puff of smoke.

"That won't trick me," she snarled, tackling the real Ryoka to the ground. She sat up, her legs on either side of Ryoka's waist, her hands on the girl's shoulders. Her long brown hair spilled over her shoulders onto Ryoka's face. Ryoka looked into Saki's eyes. Was that guilt she saw? What was Saki really thinking? What was we true intention?

_Get up, _a voice in her head scolded. _Don't let her keep you down_. That wasn't the seven tails.

_"Saki-chan, sleep well, alright?" Her mother kissed her forehead gently, pulling up the covers and tucking her daughter in snugly. _

_"Momma, what's a child of the moon?" Saki asked, not ready to sleep yet. _

_Saki's mother gave a soft sigh, brushing the bangs off of her daughter's face. _

_You know what yin and yang are, ne, Saki-chan?"_

_"Mm! All good has a bit of evil, and all evil has a bit of good," she recited proudly. _

_"Ryoka-San and her sister are like yin and yang. Now that Ryoka has a demon sealed inside her, she is evil with only a little good, even if it hasn't come out yet. Her sister keeps her balanced. Since her sister is good with only a hint of evil, Ryoka probably won't ever show the evil side. The seal Ryoka has keeps her evil personality suppressed, but the seven tails will always try to take over, and some day it may succeed."_

_"That's confusing," Saki complained. "Why should I be friends with that girl when she's evil? Nobody at school talks to her, and she barely talks anyways."_

_"She's not really evil at heart, Saki-chan," her mother corrected. "It's mostly in appearance that she's evil, but she'll always have that hint of good. Right now, since she is the daughter of the moon, the daughter of the sun keeps her from showing that darkness."_

_"What did you mean by ironic?"_

_"I just found it strange that the wolf demon, a creature of the night that is strongest around the moon, was sealed within the child of the moon."_

_"But what's so special about being a child of the moon?"_

_"That's a long story, Saki-chan, and I don't think it would make sense if I told you now. The Nadeshiko clan has always had strange things happen when their children are born on certain days, like in Ryoka's case, midnight of the full moon."_

Ryoka brought her legs in and kicked Saki hard in the stomach. Saki rolled to her feet and lunged at Ryoka, her eyes narrowing.

"You can't kill me with taijutsu, Ryoka!" She yelled triumphantly, barely managing to mask the guilt at what she was trying to do. Ryoka snarled at her and Saki felt a bit of satisfaction. The evil personality was coming. Ryoka formed a seal and a swirl of darkness surrounded her. She closed her eyes for an instant and the dark shadows took shape, compressing into the shape of several shuriken. Ryoka opened her eyes and touched one, shivering as it rippled in her hand. She turned to Saki and hurled it at the girl, who ducked as it whizzed over her head, followed by three more. They hit a stone fence behind her with an impact that sent reverberations to the ground. Saki looked up at Ryoka. The black rings around her eyes had darkened.

"You can do better than that," she hissed at the jinchuriki.

"Shut up!" Ryoka snarled. "Leave me alone!"

It took Saki a moment to realize that Ryoka wasn't talking to her. Ryoka put her hands on her head, falling to her knees.

"I told you you were weak!" Saki yelled, raising a kunai and slashing down on Ryoka. Without looking up, Ryoka caught her wrist before it touched her. Saki tried to rip her arm out of Ryoka's hand, but the dark haired girl had an iron grip on her. Ryoka's head slowly raised, and Saki's heart skipped a best.

"Just what... Do you think you're doing?" Ryoka murmured silkily, her voice dripping with venom. Her eyes glared at Saki with pure undiluted hatred. Saki felt genuine fear of her friend for the first time. This was Ryoka's dark personality. The one she always kept suppressed.

_"Saki! Come on! We have to get Kyoka to the border!" Kohaku grabbed her hand to pull her along, something that would have delighted her any other day. _

_"Kohaku-kun! Let go! I have my family to worry about! I need to see my parents!" _

_She ripped her hand out of his and ran as fast as she could to her house, coughing in the thick smoke that surrounded the village. Fires burned down buildings as she ran. She threw open the door to her home and ran inside, relieved to see her parents still alive. _

_"Saki-chan! You have to get out of here!" Her father yelled. Her mother hurried over and pressed a scroll into her hand._

_"Saki, this is very important. You must make sure Ryoka-san gets away alive. The people attacking us now are here to kill her. They don't know which one she is so they're attacking the entire village. This scroll will tell you about the child of the moon. Do you understand? Get you and her out of here."_

_"Why is this about her?!" Saki demanded. "Why is she so important? I hate her!"_

_"Saki, she probably feels more alone than anyone, you have to leave quickly. I love you, okay?" She kissed her daughter on the cheek an opened the door. _

_"Now hurry," she urged her daughter. Saki nodded, holding back tears. Ninja weren't supposed to cry. She caught up to Kohaku almost immediately. _

_Kyoka was on his back, crying into his shoulder. _

_"She better hurry," was the only thing Saki said. Kohaku nodded in agreement. She took the scroll and opened it, reading as she ran. The sooner she understood, the better. _

"You finally switched," Saki smiled. Ryoka's eyes narrowed dangerously. She vanished, and in an instant had Saki pinned against the stone wall by her neck.

"So you knew about me all along, didn't you, Hanate Saki," Ryoka purred. "I never thought it would feel this good to be in control."

Her hand tightened around the girls neck and Saki winced, her breath being cut off.

"Fight it, Ryoka," she hissed, one eye closing. "Being a child of the moon isn't so s-special. All it m-means is your dark side is stronger than m-most."

"We'll you're halfway correct," Ryoka murmured, lifting Saki off the ground by her neck.

"Everyone does have a good half and a bad half, and being of the moon does make your hatred stronger, but you're assuming something you shouldn't. I am Ryoka. The Ryoka you knew isn't even trying to stop me. We are one in the same. Therefore, your friend doesn't exist."

_Saki read the scroll with dread. Why put a powerful demon inside a human where hatred had such a high chance of dominating? She read on as they neared the border. So children of the moon were just like anyone else. A good side and a side of hatred. The only difference was, when the two sides confronted each other, the side of hatred was twice as strong as the average ninja's. Thankfully, most people went their entire lives without battling their side if hatred. Unfortunately, jinchuriki had no choice. Defeating your side of hatred was essential to controlling a tailed beast. Ryoka would have to. Saki finally understood what her family had wanted. Why her family was so knowledgable about Ryoka, he had no idea. All she knew was that she had to make sure Ryoka's hatred didn't take over until she could draw it out and defeat it herself. She whirled around as a semi circle of enemies surrounded them. They fought their best, her yelling at Kohaku to keep running, until one of the ninja plunged a kunai into her back. She screamed and fell to the ground, fiery pain ripping through her spine. _

_"Saki!" Kohaku yelled. _

Ryoka dropped Saki onto the ground, smiling to reveal pointed canines.

"You're weak, Hanate. You never were much if a fighter."

"We're still comrades," Saki spat.

"Comrades?" Ryoka said softly, dangerously. Her expression darkened with anger.

"You hated me. Along with everyone in the village. I was ignored. No, worse. I was targeted. You're no exception. Comrade my ass. I doubt you even know what that means."

Saki vanished from her place on the ground, making Ryoka whirl around in shock as the girl appeared behind her, slapping a seal on her shoulder.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ryoka hissed.

The seal slowly made her stiffen until she couldn't move, only her eyes granted the movement to follow Saki.

"I'm going to kill this side of you, so you won't have to, Ryoka."

Saki pulled a kunai out of her belt.

"Don't worry, you won't die. You just won't be a child of the moon anymore. You'll be free."

"Free?" Ryoka questioned icily.

"What would you know about being free? Even if you kill me, you think your Ryoka would be undamaged? Hatred makes you stronger."

"Ryoka is stronger than anyone I know. You are no exception," Saki said softly. "She endured everything without allowing hatred to take over. She has enough strength without you."

Saki walked over to Ryoka and wrapped an arm around her shoulders from behind, swinging the kunai with as much power as she could muster towards Ryoka's chest. A tear fell from the corner of Saki's eye.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, before plunging the knife into her friend.

The hit never made it. When Saki looked down, her face drained of color. A wall of sand blocked her dagger from touching Ryoka, less than an inch from her skin. She whirled around, just in time to lock eyes with Gaara, who had his arms crossed tightly, glaring at her murderously, sand swirling in agitated patterns around him. He looked ready to kill.

**Last Minute Author's Note: Also, I have the option of adding a jealous Gaara scene (that should still be in character) but I can't decide whether I want to go for it or not. The plot still works either way, so I figured I would just let you guys decide if you wanted it. Just PM or review your preference, and I'll just go with the majority. If there are no preferences I'll just skip it. Sorry for the cliffhanger, but you guys will get an update soon, so bear with me(:**


	25. 25 New Students

**Hey everyone! I know I've missed two updates, I'm really sorry. (Went through a breakup and was ****_not _****in the mood to write a romance story) but I'm back, please forgive me! I hope you guys like this chapter, last one before we start getting around to Gaara as the Kazekage! Please review as always!**

Saki watched Gaara, her face pale in fear. His sand was twitching in agitated circles around his feet, plenty of indication as to what his mood was, despite his emotionless face.

"What are you doing?" He growled, eyes narrowing. She opened her mouth to speak, cut off as the seal she had put on Ryoka deactivated, its jutsu only temporary. The girl swayed and Saki caught her before she fell, picking up the unconscious shinobi easily, much to Gaara's displeasure.

"She needed it!" Saki defended herself, nervous in the presence of the angry sand jinchuriki.

"To be killed?"

"I wasn't killing her! I was only trying to kill her dark self! It will be harder for her than most people if she faces it a-alone," Saki insisted, her voice faltering as his sand jerked uncontrollably. She realized with growing apprehension that he was holding it back so it wouldn't kill her.

"Even if that is so, that is a fight she will have to be strong enough to take on. Some things can't be fought by other people," he said in a low voice, glaring at her. Saki's mouth parted slightly in anger. Did he even realize what he was saying? Were ALL jinchuriki this dense?

"She's done everything alone so far," Saki snapped. "She wouldn't make it if she fought herself alone."

"You don't have very much faith in her abilities," he observed, his voice turning into a snarl.

"...and she wouldn't be alone."

"Why, because she has you?" Saki spat, her fear turning into anger.

"You're the worst possible person to help her!"

He blinked.

"You may be right," he said quietly, much to her surprise. "But trying to kill a friend without fully knowing the consequences is unforgivable."

Saki clenched her teeth. He was right, and she hated him for it.

"Just take your girlfriend and go," she muttered angrily, pushing Ryoka towards him. He caught her easily. She whirled around and walked away angrily, about to head back to Suna when his voice stopped her.

"If you try to kill her again-"

"I get it," she interrupted coolly without turning. If he had only been looking out for her before, she had just made him heck of a lot more protective.

"It won't happen again," she growled, continuing to leave. He didn't say anything else, just looked down at Ryoka, picked her up carefully, and vanished back to Suna. She woke up on the way, confused to see Gaara walking her into the hospital.

"Gaara...?"

She saw the hospital and her eyes widened slightly.

She struggled out of Gaara's arms and he let her go immediately, watching her with a slightly concerned expression.

"I- I don't need to go to a hospital!" She insisted, blushing. "Th- thank you for taking me this far."

"You were almost killed."

She nodded; it happened often. Of course this time was much more confusing as to the motive behind it... But regardless, she refused to return to any sort of hospital, having had her fill of it taking excruciatingly long tests for compatibility with the seven tails.

He watched her silently for a moment, before giving a slight shrug. He walked away, indicating that she should follow. She did so, curious as to where they were going. They walked to the Kazekage's quarters, heading a way Ryoka had never been before. Gaara opened a door and walked in, with Ryoka close behind. With a flash of surprise, she realized this was his room. There was a bed in one corner, with a small round window opposite it. A desk sat under the window, its surface covered with books and papers. A dresser was next to the bed, as was a nightstand and a lamp. Overall, the room seemed empty, almost devoid of personality, kind of similar to how he appeared to most people. She sat on the bed as he walked to the dresser and pulled out a bandage.

"Why do you have bandages when nobody can hurt you?" She asked curiously as he returned to her.

"I hurt myself once," was his only reply. Her eyes moved to the kanji carved into his forehead. Ai. She had guessed it had been self inflicted. He hesitantly took her hand, slightly surprised when she didn't flinch away like most people. He bandaged the minor injuries on her arm, going slowly and carefully. He wasn't used to giving medical treatment.

"Where did these come from?" He asked, looking at her arm. She followed his gaze to the faint silver scars, almost completely hidden, that weaved up her arms and over most of her body. She blinked slowly.

"It's nothing," she said finally, meeting his eyes. He frowned slightly but didn't question her further.

"Oi! Gaara!" Kankuro's voice came from the hallway as the door opened, revealing the older brother.

"Don't forget that we have a teaching class-" he broke off when he saw Ryoka there, his eyes widening at the sight of Gaara bandaging her already healing injuries.

"Nani?" Gaara questioned quietly, allowing Ryoka's hand to return to her lap.

"Kankuro! What's taking you so long?" Temari appeared behind him. She blinked at the scene before her. With a smirk, she grabbed a stunned Kankuro and shoved him into the hallway.

"We're teaching in an hour," she called. "I'll leave you two to it."

She closed the door quickly behind her. Both Gaara and Ryoka stared at the door, neither one of them understanding the implication.

"Are you teaching?" Gaara questioned after a moment. She shrugged, undecided. She didn't know anything about teaching, let alone how to do it herself. Her eyes followed Gaara as he stood, heading for the door.

He nodded towards the hall and she stood, following him without complaint. They went together to the building they were assigned, finding Kankuro, Temari, and several children waiting for them. Temari grinned when she saw Ryoka.

"So you came after all," she observed smugly. Ryoka shrugged, taking her place in line next to Gaara. Instructions were given out quickly, and the children were allowed to choose their own teacher. Ryoka relaxed slightly, knowing none of the kids were likely to choose her as a teacher. She was a stranger to Suna after all. She smiled slightly when she saw a young girl hesitantly approach Gaara. Several kids had divided themselves among Kankuro and Temari. Ryoka was about to sit back and watch the lesson until her help was needed, when a voice cut through we thoughts.

"Ano... You're teaching today, too, right?" A hesitant voice asked. Ryoka glanced up in surprise to see a boy about the same height as her with shaggy black hair and bright green eyes.

She nodded slowly. Did this boy...?

"W-will you be my sensei?" He asked. She nodded, glancing at Temari and Kankuro for some hint of what to do. They had their students practice with weapons, calling out advice every once in a while. She walked over to the table of weapons, eyeing them with distaste.

"What's your name?" She asked quietly without turning.

"Satoru," he replied with a smile.

"I'm Ryoka," she replied. "Is there a weapon you prefer to fight with?"

His smile faded slightly.

"I don't really like using weapons," he muttered, blushing. He looked up at her earnestly. "But I can learn!" He insisted.

"You don't have to," she said matter-of-factly. He looked at her in surprise.

"How do I fight without a weapon?"

She watched him for a moment.

"Try this," she said quietly, walking to a less crowded part of the room. He followed her and she faced him, taking her kunai and shuriken and tossing them to the side.

"You know what taijutsu is, right?" She asked quietly. He watched her actions with surprise and nodded.

"Hand to hand combat, but isn't this a weapons class?"

She nodded.

"Your mind is just as important a weapon as any piece of equipment. Beating an armed enemy with taijutsu is one way of learning to use your head."

Satoru nodded, still looking a bit confused.

"But if I was against someone with a weapon, wouldn't it be impossible to win?"

Ryoka shook her head. She picked up a kunai from the ground and handed it to him. He took it, watching it blankly.

"I'm unarmed. Try to scratch me," she said quietly. His eyes widened.

"I'll hurt you!" He protested. Her lips twitched.

"Just try."

He frowned slightly, forming his resolve, and swung forward with his arm, the kunai speeding towards her chest. She ducked and grabbed his wrist, turning him and locking his hand behind his back. As soon as he realized what happened, she let go.

"How did you do that?!" He exclaimed excitedly. "Will you show me?!"

She nodded, proceeding to slowly explain how to dodge a basic swing and come up under someone into an offensive maneuver. While he was practicing, she glanced at Gaara to see how he was doing. He was demonstrating to his student how to use one of the smaller weapons. She was watching him with wide adoring eyes. Ryoka suddenly felt a rush of anger towards the girl and quickly quelled it. Where had that come from? She should be happy someone admired Gaara. He was finally being acknowledged by the people around him. There was no reason for her to feel antagonistic towards a girl that respected him.

"Ryoka-sama?" She turned her head to see Sotaru watching her curiously.

"Do you think you have it down?" She asked quietly. He nodded, following her previous gaze to Gaara.

"Are you close to him?" He questioned, nodding at the red haired jinchuriki.

Was she?

"More or less," she finally answered.

"I don't know very much about him, but I heard he was really strong," Satoru commented vaguely.

"Mm," she nodded. Gaara suddenly turned to look in her direction. They locked gazes and Ryoka quickly turned away, feeling her face redden. What was wrong with her lately? She took a deep breath and crossed her arms, turning to face Satoru.

"Alright, try to deflect me," she said quietly, picking up a kunai. He nodded, looking determined, and she attacked without hesitation, swinging in a basic attempt that he could block. A moment later, Satoru had her arm in a surprisingly firm grip, held up against her back. She smiled at him gently.

"You're a fast learner," she complimented once he released her. He blushed and grinned, his green eyes looking proud.

"Arigato, Ryoka-sama," he said excitedly. She nodded, returning her kunai and shuriken to her belt. He grinned, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

"You know, I never would have guessed you'd be this strong, Ryoka-sama."

"Why's that?" She asked curiously.

"'Cause your kind of small, and you don't talk very much."

She scowled slightly.

"I'm not that short," she muttered in protest.

"I'm almost as tall as you," he replied with a smug smile. She narrowed her eyes.

"Maybe you're just too tall," she returned haughtily.

He laughed.

"Nah, I'm perfectly average. I bet your shorter than Matsuri over there too."

He nodded over to Gaara's student.

Ryoka glared at Satoru.

"Are you trying to get on my bad side, Satoru-kun?" She questioned in a dangerously soft voice.

"N-no," he said quickly, turning to look straight ahead. She smiled slightly, pleased.

"Ryoka-sama?" He questioned after a while.

"Hm?"

"Can we train again later today?"

She nodded. She didn't have much to do during the days she spent in Suna, especially when Gaara left on missions with the regular forces. He grinned excitedly.

"Then I'll go to the training grounds before sundown," he said excitedly.

"See you then," she replied quietly before walking towards Gaara and his siblings. Temari smiled at her.

"You aren't a half bad teacher," she complimented. Ryoka frowned.

"I taught taijutsu at a weapons class," she said blatantly. Kankuro smirked.

"It could've been worse," he said.

She shrugged.

"I'm training with him later today, too."

Gaara shifted his piercing gaze to her.

"Where?" He asked.

"Training grounds," she replied quietly, matching his gaze evenly.

"When?"

"Before sundown."

"Curious, much, Gaara?" Kankuro observed. The red haired boy didn't answer him, instead facing Ryoka.

"I'll go with you," He stated quietly.

"You don't have to, it won't take long," she replied easily.

"I'll go with you." It wasn't debatable.

She glanced up at him, slightly startled at his persistence, but didn't push it.

Temari grinned at Kankuro, who raised his eyebrows.

"Alright, well let's get back. We better eat before you two leave."

"I vote Ryoka cooks tonight," Kankuro said suddenly.

Temari punched him angrily.

"Oi! What's that supposed to mean? Ryoka's been cooking all week!"

"For good reason," Kankuro muttered, earning himself another punch. He rubbed his head, wincing.

"Geez, Temari."

About an hour later, the four of them sat together eating in silence. The quiet had originally been awkward, but over time become more comfortable as the siblings adjusted to having a fourth member of their family.

"I have something to tell all of you," Gaara said suddenly. Ryoka glanced at him. He hadn't eaten a single bite since they had sat down. She had wondered what was wrong.

"What is it, Gaara?" Temari questioned kindly.

He looked at each of them in turn before finally speaking.

"Four months ago, I applied to be Kazekage."

Temari's spoon clattered against her plate as she dropped it in surprise.

"You did what?! Why didn't you say anything?"

"I was sure it would get rejected, so I didn't wish to cause unnecessary excitement."

Ryoka looked at him expectantly. He wasn't done.

"Recently, whether because of the crisis of an absent Kazekage or because of my improvement, the higher ups have had no other choice than to seriously consider it."

"Did they decide?!" Kankuro demanded.

Gaara shook his head.

"The elders do not make decisions quickly, especially in my case, but they are running out of options. Suna needs a Kazekage."

"How long?" Ryoka asked quietly.

"The final answer should be given in less than a month."

"Gaara that's excellent!" Temari exclaimed excitedly. "You'd be the youngest Kazekage we ever had!"

His eyes shifted to Temari.

"You're right."

Ryoka stood, glancing out the window.

"It's time for me to meet Satoru-kun," she said.

"Congratulations, Gaara." She met his eyes and smiled. Kankuro choked on his drink, and Gaara's eyes widened slightly.

"What?" Ryoka questioned, unnerved by their stares.

"It's the first time I've seen you smile, Ryoka," Temari breathed. "You really should more often."

Ryoka blushed scarlet.

"I'll meet you at the training grounds later, there's something I want to take care of," Gaara told her. She gave a short nod, still blushing, and left quickly, grabbing her forehead protector on the way out. Gaara stood and left, walking down the hall until he was standing in front of a door that had no distinguishing marks other than a silver door handle imbedded in the wood. He knocked once and opened it, revealing Hanate Saki lying on the bed, hands behind her head. She looke at him with distaste.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?" She asked sarcastically, sitting up to face him.

"There's something I want to know."

Saki smirked. "Nothing I say comes without a price," she assured him. His eyes narrowed.

"What kind of price?"

"Well that depends. What do you want to know?"

Gaara crossed his arms over his chest.

"I want to know what happened to Nadeshiko Ryoka."

**Last Minute Author's Note: as for Jealous Gaara, majority of you guys wanted it, so that will come a bit later. It actually worked into my plot better than I thought it would, so look forward to it! Thanks for the positive feedback!**


	26. 26 The Kazekage's Celebration

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! I am so extremely sorry but I have left you with another cliffhanger. In my defense I couldn't help it... this chapter was going on and on, and I needed a place to cut it off, so my bad, but the next chapter will definitely not be one! So look forward to that:) please review as always, I love hearing what y'all have to say. **

"I can't tell you that."

Gaara's eyes twitched, the only indication that gave away he was frustrated.

"Why not?"

"Because I fought Ryoka for that information, and she would've won if you didn't come."

"What do you mean?" He asked quietly.

"When I challenged Ryoka, we agreed that if she won then I wouldn't spill about her past, and if I won, she would tell all of you about how much of a monster she really was. It was interrupted, but I still didn't win."

"Monster?" Gaara growled. Saki leaned back on her bed, closing her eyes.

"If you really want to know, why don't you ask her yourself? She's your girlfriend."

"She isn't."

Saki opened one eye.

"Really? I'd have never thought you'd go so far to protect someone you didn't love."

Gaara didn't respond.

"Well go ahead and ask her," Saki sighed. "She can't say no to you anyways."

Gaara blinked. "Why not?"

Saki shrugged. "Hell if I know. But as long as I've been following her she hasn't denied you once."

He frowned slightly.

"I see."

"Close the door when you leave," she said shortly, turning to face away from him.

He exited, obligingly closing the door, and vanished in a swirl of sand, towards where Ryoka would be training. He tried to recall a time when Ryoka had refused him. Nothing came to mind. She was excellent at avoiding questions and keeping quiet, but she had never outright denied him. Was it coincidental? She wasn't exactly a disagreeable person to begin with. She was sharp and a quick thinker, and was almost always correct when she bothered to voice her opinion, which was rare in itself. Maybe he should ask her directly. He arrived at the training grounds quickly. Ryoka and her student hadn't noticed him yet. She was demonstrating a new technique, and he was watching her carefully. Gaara walked towards them and Ryoka glanced up at the barely audible sound of his footsteps. She relaxed when she recognized him and gave him a nod of greeting. He blinked in return, impressed as always at her complete lack of fear. How she managed to be so relaxed and comfortable around someone of his reputation never ceased to intrigue him.

"Nice to meet you, Gaara-sensei," her student said hesitantly, his piercing green eyes shifting upward to meet Gaara's.

"This is Satoru-kun," Ryoka introduced quietly. Gaara nodded in return. The boy seemed harmless enough.

Gaara just watched from a distance as Ryoka finished the lesson. Satoru was a quick learner, and was eager to improve. Once they were finished, she smiled at him and told him to go home and get some rest. He nodded enthusiastically and left, running out of the training grounds towards his home.

Ryoka ran a hand through her hair tiredly. She walked passed Gaara and he turned and followed her silently, walking slowly.

"You seem to be a good teacher," he observed, walking slightly behind her.

"You too."

They approached the Kazekage building.

"Nadeshiko," he said abruptly, his tone changing slightly. She paused and turned, meeting his eyes.

"Nani?"

He stayed silent for a moment, pondering how to ask what he wanted to know. Why was he so curious anyways? He knew she had been lonely and that she had lost people close to her... Wasn't that enough?

"...it's nothing."

He scowled, and she raised her eyebrows slightly, but didn't comment.

They walked inside and Ryoka went to her borrowed room, opening the door to see Saki asleep on the bed, still dressed.

Ryoka went to the bathroom and washed her face, coming back and walking to one side of the room. She opened the window and had climbed halfway through it when Saki's voice stopped her.

"Ryoka... What the hell are you doing?" The girl asked sleepily. She nodded pointedly towards the roof.

"Don't you sleep?"

She shook her head.

"I can't."

Saki pushed herself into a sitting position with a yawn.

"Why not? Do you have work to do?"

"Saki, I don't sleep. It's insomnia, like Gaara."

Her eyes widened slightly, more awake now.

"Seriously? From nightmares?"

"More or less," she replied quietly.

Ryoka perched both feet on the ledge, about to leap up to the roof.

"Hey, Ryoka?" Saki's tone had changed. It was more hesitant and careful.

"D-do you ever see everyone that died, hear them screaming, like you can't do anything about it?" Ryoka looked at Saki, reminded that she had lost family and friends too. Her gaze softened.

"Every time I close my eyes," she replied honestly. She jumped up to the roof, leaving it to Saki to close the window. She laid on the angled roof, head resting on her hands, and watched the waning moon. It was just barely a sliver of light. Seven tails would be acting up soon. At least this time she was ready.

"Ryoka-San!" An excited blonde head poked over the edge of the roof. Ryoka watched Temari climb onto the landing, wondering what was worth climbing several stories at the crack of dawn just to tell her.

"It's Gaara!"

Ryoka stood quickly.

"Is something wrong?" She asked immediately, her voice worried.

"No, look at what we just got today!"

She shoved a piece of paper in Ryoka's face. Ryoka squinted at it, trying to read through Temari's excited movements.

"What is this?"

"Gaara's just been elected Kazekage!"

Ryoka's mouth parted slightly in shock.

"S-so soon?"

"Ah," Temari nodded seriously. "Suna has been vulnerable, and a new group of criminals have been acting up in other villages, some Akatsuki clan or something, and it pushed the elders into making the decision."

"Where's Gaara?"

"He's in his room. I thought you should be the one to tell him," Temari said smugly with a wink. Ryoka stared back at her blankly.

"Why?"

"Don't you want to?" Temari asked disbelievingly.

"Sh-should I want to?" She asked hesitantly, confused.

"Just trust me, I think he'd like to hear it from you."

"R-really...?"

Temari nodded, steering Ryoka off of the roof and into the building, following her to Gaara's room.

"Go on in and tell him, I'll wait for you."

Still completely lost as to what Temari's intentions were, Ryoka just nodded. She cautiously knocked.

"Enter," a voice said from the other side. She opened the door and walked in. Gaara was standing by the window, and he turned to face her when she entered.

"Nadeshiko."

She handed him the paper wordlessly. He took it, his eyes narrowing, and looked over the lines, eyes widening when he read the message.

"Is this... Real?"

"Hai," she confirmed.

"Congratulations, Gaara-sama," she said with a smile. He stared at her for a moment, not used to the honorific or the smile.

"You're smiling," he observed, eyes still wide with surprise. She blushed scarlet. Was it really that rare?

"I- I'm happy for you... You're one step closer to being acknowledged and respected," she admitted.

She jerked in surprise as she felt his hand on her forehead. He had appeared in front of her in an instant.

"G-G-Gaara-sama?" She stammered, feeling her face redden even more. His hand was cool and surprisingly smooth.

"Your face is red," he stated like it was obvious. "Are you feeling okay?"

"F-f-fine," she managed to say, barely managing to meet his piercing jade eyes. He let his hand drop to his side. This close, it was startlingly obvious how much shorter Ryoka was, barely taller than his shoulder, but she didn't take a step back.

"Thank you for telling me," he said coolly. She nodded.

"Of course."

Taking that as a dismissal, she turned and left, closing the door behind her with a sigh. Temari was waiting for her.

"You're hopeless," the blonde sighed, shaking her head in exasperation.

"Do you have any knowledge of romance whatsoever?"

"Romance?" Ryoka questioned.

"Love, relationships, boyfriends, that kind of thing?"

"I know what it is," Ryoka said flatly.

"So that's a no," Temari confirmed with a sigh.

"Why do you ask?" Ryoka questioned curiously.

"Forget it."

Temari suddenly brightened.

"Actually, every time a Kazekage is elected there's a big celebration, and anyone can come. Usually it's to let the Kazekage establish early connections with politically powerful people, but its very sophisticated and elegant. I'm sure you will do fine then."

"I won't go," Ryoka said with a sad smile.

"Why not?" Temari demanded angrily.

"I'm not good around lots of people; its just asking for a disaster."

"No, I won't allow it. You have to go, and you have to get over that fear."

"Temari-san..."

"No excuses. I'll teach you whatever you need to know, okay?"

Ryoka looked at the ground with a sigh.

"Fine," she relented.

The celebration would be held in two weeks. During that time, Ryoka hardly saw Gaara at all. His duties as the new Kazekage were only growing in number and demand as he adjusted to the new position. Meanwhile, Temari had taken it upon herself to teach her everything about the social standards of Suna, which not only included how to dance, but how to speak to higher ranking people, how to walk 'gracefully', and several other things Ryoka felt she could go her entire life without knowing. Since she was mainly attending to appease Temari, Ryoka had never expected the blonde to go to the lengths she did. On the day of the celebration, Temari had taken it upon herself to give Ryoka a complete makeover.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Temari held up a dress. "You're going to look stunning."

Ryoka just stared. She had never worn a dress in her life. Not once. She always wore either black or neutral colors to stay inconspicuous. This dress... There was just no way. The dress itself was a deep turquoise, with hues of blue and purple shining within the folds of fabric. It was strapless, and had a simple design that still seemed very... Sophisticated. It had a pale ribbon tied around the waist, and the back was tied with criss cross lacing.

"Try it on," Temari pressed, helping Ryoka into it. Ryoka decided at that moment that she absolutely hated dresses and would never wear one again after the celebration. The fabric was soft and comfortable, but the tight waist made it impossible to breathe. How did people live with this kind of attire?

Temari stepped back to look at Ryoka and her eyebrows raised, impressed.

"Kami, Ryoka, you're gorgeous."

Ryoka blushed, and Temari had her sit as she did her hair.

"How should we do your makeup?" Temari wondered aloud. "You're already wearing some, right?"

"N-no," Ryoka replied.

"Really? So you have natural rings around your eyes? I figured that was just a side effect of being a jinchuriki, but I guess it can be for normal people too. You're lucky, it makes your eyes look bigger."

Ryoka didn't respond. When it came to appearances, she had discovered it was just best to let Temari talk. Not having any sisters, Temari probably enjoyed getting to dress someone up.

She ended up twisting half of Ryoka's hair up into a twist and curling the rest to frame her face.

Satisfied, Temari applied some minor makeup and stepped back to admire her handiwork.

"I'm a genius. He'd be an idiot not to fall in love with you."

"Who would?" Ryoka questioned curiously.

"Gaara, of course," Temari replied smugly.

"Why would Gaara...?"

"Never mind, it's time to go, or we will be late. Take your shoes, we have to hurry," Temari interrupted, handing the confused jinchuriki a pair of sparkling silver heels.

"I'll meet you down by the doors in twenty minutes, okay?"

Ryoka nodded and Temari left. As soon as the blonde was gone, Ryoka tentatively put on the shoes. She wobbled unsteadily. How on earth...?

She carefully walked down to meet Temari. Kankuro was waiting, but Gaara was nowhere in sight. Kankuro's jaw dropped when he saw her.

"I-It's nice to meet you, I'm Kankuro, the Kazekage's older brother," he introduced himself immediately, inclining his head.

"Kankuro-San, we've already met," Ryoka said, confused. Kankuro looked up in surprise, before his eyes widened.

"Ryoka?! I didn't recognize you!"

She sweat dropped.

"I see..."

Temari arrived a moment later in a beautiful red dress of her own.

"Shall we go?" The blonde said cheerfully, exchanging a meaningful glance with Kankuro.

"Ah," he replied with a slight grin. They walked around the corner to the celebration. Ryoka quickly glanced around to make sure nobody was looking before pulling off her shoes and hiding them behind a plant. Nobody would see her feet in a floor length dress anyways, and she could barely walk, let alone dance, when it felt like she was walking on stilts. She quickly caught up to the others and entered the main room to the festival, already nervous. The ballroom was huge. Giant crystal chandeliers hung over a shining, polished floor. Black and white drapes were hung elegantly around windows and across the high ceiling. A huge open space, presumably for dancing, took up the middle of the room, with candlelit tables off to one side and a grand buffet on the other. The lights had been dimmed, and a band was playing music in the back. The room was crowded with all sorts of people, old and young. All of the women wore elegant flowing dresses, and were talking softly and politely among themselves. Ryoka's face drained of color. This was way too many people. She already felt too warm, like the place was stuffy, when in reality it was quite cool. Temari and Kankuro led her along, until they were in the middle of the crowd.

"We are going to talk to some people, okay? You can do whatever you like," Temari informed her. She turned quickly, her mouth opening to object, but they had already vanished. She quickly pushed through the crowd to escape the dance floor, hoping nobody would step on her feet. She made it to the candlelit tables and walked to a corner by the window, feeling more trapped than she ever had been.

"You must be Nadeshiko Ryoka," a kind voice said. Ryoka turned in surprise, her eyes raising to meet a boy in his late teens, with dark hair and grey eyes.

"H-hai, it's a pleasure to meet you," she replied quietly, frantically trying to remember what Temari had spent hours trying to teach her about speaking with respect.

"You look really nice tonight. Care to dance with me?"

Temari had said not to deny anyone's first request to dance, but did she really have to five minutes into the celebration? Apparently she did.

"Of course," she replied with a small smile, hiding all nervousness. She could make it through tonight. One night, and then it would be over.

He took her hand and led her to the dance floor, where several other couples had already begun to dance. She faced him and put a hand on his shoulder as Temari had instructed, while his rested on her waist. Who had invented dancing? Ryoka inwardly wanted to kill them. Dancing put you in a vulnerable position where it was a simple task to be attacked and almost impossible to defend, with both hands occupied. Fortunately, she was partnered with a good dancer, and she managed to keep up pretty well, mostly due to the fact that she was barefoot.

"I'm Tadashi, by the way, from the Village of Rain."

"Nice to meet you," she replied automatically. The country of Rain was a constant warzone because it was surrounded by three countries that fought off and on for centuries... This boy probably wasn't a stranger to war.

"What do you think of the new Kazekage?"

Ryoka stiffened in surprise. Usually political questions were reserved for men. Women were rarely questioned on their opinions of political leaders.

"I'm sure he will do well in leading Suna," she replied carefully, meeting his eyes.

"Really? There aren't many that support him."

She blinked, keeping her face expressionless.

The song ended and Tadashi took a step back.

"Care to dance again?" Ryoka opened her mouth to make up an excuse, but she never got the chance.

"In afraid that won't be possible," a familiar, emotionless voice said from next to her.

Tadashi bowed respectfully.

"Of course, Kazekage-sama. Perhaps later, Nadeshiko-san."

She nodded, turning to face Gaara questioningly.

"Is something wrong?" She asked quietly.

"I don't want you around him," he replied darkly, his eyes narrowing slowly.

"Who is he?"

Gaara just stared at her, not responding. Realization slowly dawned on her.

"You don't know who he is, do you?" She accused quietly. He scowled.

"It doesn't matter; he could be dangerous."

"I can protect myself, Gaara-sama," she replied.

"Not well enough," he returned sharply. She narrowed her eyes slightly.

"I'm not going to get attacked at a celebration," she assured him. "And even if I was, it shouldn't concern you."

"It does. I promised-"

"And I really appreciate that promise, but I don't think you have to keep me from being around others," she interrupted quietly.

He glared at her, his pale green eyes practically burning holes in hers.

"Just stay away from him," he snapped, before turning and vanishing into the crowd. She sighed, suddenly hot, exhausted, ad thirsty. Dancing was more tiring than fighting. Had she upset Gaara? She felt guilty, not even thanking him when he had meant to help. She weaved her way smoothly through the crowd towards the buffet table. She had almost made it when she felt a hand on her arm. She whirled around quickly to see a portly gentleman watching her with a smile. He was balding, with a sheen of sweat covering his forehead.

"Would you mind dancing with me?" He questioned in a cheerful voice. His manner reeked of superiority, so Ryoka had to oblige, according to Temari.

"I suppose," she sighed, allowing him to pull her back to the dreaded dance floor. He smelled awful, like spoiled meat, and made her want to gag. He put his hand on her waist and pulled her a step forward, so that her stomach was almost touching his. She shuddered, which he either didn't notice or ignored.

"I hear you're the foreigner staying with the new Kazekage," he murmured in her ear. She gagged at the feel of his hot breath in her ear.

"Hai," she replied through clenched teeth. He pulled her closer, until they were pressed against each other. She tried to subtly pull away, but his grip was suddenly like iron.

"I heard rumors of you, but really, your beauty is quite unequaled," he slurred, his eyes bright. "I am the brother of a feudal lord you see, and it gets quite lonely where I live."

"Does it?" She managed to spit out. She worried slightly that the man was going to leave a sweat stain on the dress she was borrowing.

"It really does," he sighed, his breath reeking.

"I'm sure you must be uncomfortable, living so close to this particular Kazekage. He seems quite dangerous."

"Only towards the enemy," she replied stiffly, wishing Gaara were there now. Unfortunately, she had just told him to leave her alone, something she now regretted.

"You are too kind," he admonished, his fingers pressing against her bare back. She shuddered at the feel of his sweaty fingers against her skin.

"Why don't you come to my village? We could serve you much better than they do here."

The way he said it made her skin crawl. Then the man passed the line. His hand slid down lower than her waist, and that was it. She shoved him away roughly with her hands, and without hesitation, slapped him across his perspiring face. The man stumbled back in surprise.

"Why you-!"

"How dare you," she said in a deadly quiet voice, not even caring that several people were watching her.

"Insulting the Kazekage is something you have no right to do. As for moving, I would rather sleep on a bed of nails for the rest of my life rather than live with you. You're disgusting."

His face turned a violent shade of purple, so that he resembled a sweaty

plum, as he glared at her in anger.

"You'll regret embarrassing me," he growled at her.

"I'm sure I will," she muttered under her breath. She turned to leave, but ran straight into someone.

"Sorry," she mumbled, trying to pass around them without looking up.

"Ryoka? Are you okay?" That voice. She looked up in surprise.

"Kankuro?" The puppet master glanced at her in concern.

"You look like you could use some air."

She nodded.

"Please."

He led her to a door and opened I to reveal a stairway to the roof.

"Figured you'd want somewhere you were familiar with," Kankuro stated with a smirk. She smiled gratefully at him, and his eyes widened slightly. She walked up the stairs and gracefully stepped into the slanted roof, sitting with her arms around her knees, taking deep breaths of the night air. Kankuro joined her, standing a few feet away.

"Did you see?" She asked softly. Kankuro snorted.

"Yeah," he grinned. "You showed him up good." She buried her head in her arms.

"I messed up, is what I did. Gaara will have one more enemy because of me," she sighed, frustrated.

"He got what he deserved," Kankuro replied with a shrug. "As for Gaara, he'll always have enemies. He doesn't need that kind of person for support."

Ryoka rested her chin on her knees.

"I guess so."

Gaara walked angrily back to the table he was assigned. Was he being too conscious of Ryoka's activities? That man... He hadn't had good intentions. That's what Gaara had wanted to believe. Besides, Ryoka had looked uncomfortable. He had simply been trying to help. He had promised not to abandon her, right?

No, his mind told him. You just said she needed someone who wouldn't abandon her.

Regardless, it was a promise. Even if it was indirect. He glared at the politicians trying to talk with him, and they backed away respectfully, and somewhat fearfully. He had already spent hours establishing the proper alliances. Enough was enough. Temari approached him, and he glared at her, but she ignored it and spoke anyways.

"Did you see Ryoka?" She demanded.

"What of it?" He snapped, in a bad mood from recent events.

"You did? Excellent, did you tell her how incredible she looks?"

"No," he replied shortly.

"Gaara!" She scolded. "Why not?"

He watched her icily.

"What does it matter?" He questioned darkly.

"You have to!" She insisted, hands on her hips. "Go now."

He glared at his elder sister. Why was she telling him what to do? And why did he want to go along with what she was saying?

"Perfect chance," Temari murmured, "She's with that perverted brother of the feudal lord. Ask her to dance so she doesn't have to with him anymore, ne?"

Gaara whirled around in spite of himself. Sure enough, the rounded perspiring man was dancing mic to close to her, to be polite, with his fingers creeping down her back while he whispered in her ear. Fury boiled through Gaara and he quickly pushed it down before it showed on his face.

"Gaara, what are you waiting for?" Temari questioned.

Gaara closed his eyes, repressing the urge to kill the man.

"Nadeshiko thinks I'm too protective. I won't interfere."

Temari swore. "Damn stubborn..." She muttered profanities under her breath.

"Gaara, she's gonna owe you for this one. Just help her out, okay?"

Gaara sighed.

"I understand."

He opened his eyes and took a step towards her when Ryoka suddenly shoved the man away from her, a quiet fury on her usually passive face. Even from a distance, Gaara could hear her words. A hush had fallen over the crowd.

"How dare you. Insulting the Kazekage is something you have no right to do. As for moving, I would rather sleep on a bed of nails for the rest of my life rather than live with you. You're disgusting."

It was probably the longest speech she ever said at once. Gaara's eyes widened, surprise etched clearly into his features. Had she just defended him? Why did that make him so happy? Why was he glad she had chosen living in Suna versus living with the feudal lord? He watched as she walked into the crowd, his spirits lifting slightly.

"Gaara," Temari said with a gentle smile. "Please come with me."

She turned to walk to another part of the room and he followed wordlessly, smoothing his features over to expressionless again. Once they were alone, Temari turned to face him.

"Gaara, if I ask you something, will you answer truthfully?"

He watched her in silence.

"Nani?" He finally questioned quietly.

"You want to protect Ryoka, right?" She asked.

"...What of it?"

"You get worried when she goes somewhere alone, even though she is a strong shinobi."

"..."

"And you make sure she never feels abandoned, because you care about her, right Gaara?"

"Temari, where are you going with this?" His voice was dark and his eyes were narrowed in suspicion.

"You won't realize it unless someone tells it to you plainly," she said kindly. "Kankuro and I have tried to give you hints, but you're really oblivious when it comes to this kind of thing."

"Just tell me," he said slightly impatiently.

"You're in love with Ryoka," Temari blurted.

**Last Minute Author's Note: Sorry if there are grammatical errors, I've been trying to improve but I might have missed some trying to get this posted in time. Thanks for all of your support and feedback!**


	27. 27 Admitting the Truth

**Author's Note: HEY EVERYONE! I'm so excited, and after this chapter you will understand why! It is so incredibly difficult to create someone perfect for Gaara and keep everyone in character, but I hope I've succeeded so far! Please review!**

Gaara froze. His eyes widened. Temari gave a smug smile at his reaction, knowing she was right.

"You're wrong."

Gaara struggled to return to his normal, passive expression, successfully smoothing his features over, his eyes returning to their normal calm and alert look. Temari practically deflated.

"How could you deny it?" She demanded.

"There is a very distinct difference between protecting and loving someone, Temari."

"I know," she sighed exasperatedly.

"If you were just protecting her, then why were you so jealous when she danced with that boy?"

"Jealous?" Gaara questioned, his eyes narrowing.

Temari frowned.

"Did you want to kill him when he walked in the door?"

"Of course not," he dismissed easily.

"Did you want to kill him when he danced with Ryoka?"

"..."

"That's what jealousy is, Gaara."

"...that's beside the point."

"Look, Gaara, you've never been in love, or experienced anything like it, but trust me when I say I know what it looks like," Temari said earnestly, her eyes pleading with his.

"Just give it a chance."

"...why?"

Temari smiled gently.

"I want you to be happy, Gaara. I am your older sister after all, and I want Ryoka to be happy too. I think she needs you more than she would like to admit, and its obvious you need her, as cheesy as it sounds."

"Nadeshiko isn't... In love with me," Gaara replied, the words feeling strange in his mouth. He felt confused, and he hated that feeling. That feeling of not being sure how he felt anymore.

"I want you to hear her for yourself," Temari replied. She took her brother's hand hesitantly and led him to a door, opening it to reveal a staircase.

"Follow me."

"Hey Ryoka," Kankuro said suddenly.

"Hm?"

"Where are your shoes?"

She glanced down at her bare feet.

"Oh, they're behind the plant in the hallway, would you mind telling Temari for me?"

Kankuro snorted.

"Figures. It amazes me that she even got you into a dress. You really do look nice, though. Did Gaara say anything?"

Ryoka looked down at her feet.

"No, I told him he was being too protective. He's probably angry."

"Nah, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I doubt Gaara would be angry with you."

"I can see it," she said flatly.

"What do you mean?"

She didn't answer. It was Kankuro's father too, not just Gaara's, that she had tried to kill. They would probably both hate her when she told them. She would have to tell them soon anyways, since they had accepted her. It felt wrong to keep the truth from them.

"What do you think of him?" Kankuro asked, looking up at the sky. She followed his gaze, to the tiny sliver of moon still visible.

"He'll probably be the best Kazekage Suna has seen," she replied softly.

"What about you personally?"

She shifted her eyes to him, confused, but he wasn't looking at her.

"What are your feelings for him?" Kankuro clarified, still watching the moon.

"I... He's..." She clasped her hands together, feeling strangely unsure of herself.

"He's the only person I trust," she said quietly, feeling herself blushing.

"Trust, huh?"

"Mm."

"Do you love him?"

Her head snapped up, startled.

"W-why are you asking?"

Kankuro turned to look at her over his shoulder, a slight grin on his face.

"Well?"

"I-I never really considered it," she answered, her face already bright red. She was glad for the darkness the night offered.

"Think about it this way," Kankuro suggested. "How would you feel if Gaara died?"

A savage pain tore through Ryoka's chest, burning so painfully that she actually gasped quietly at the thought.

"Kankuro-San," she said quietly, once she'd recovered slightly. He glanced at her.

"Gaara-sama is most of the reason I'm still willing to live. If he died, I suppose it wouldn't take long for me to follow suit. If that isn't love... I guess I don't really know what is."

Kankuro walked over to her, leaning forward so that he blocked her view of the moon with his shadow.

"Say it then," he challenged. Ryoka glared at him, her gold eyes bright. Was he toying with her? What was he playing at?

"I love the Kazekage," she growled through clenched teeth.

"Sorry, I'm not sure I know who you're talking about," Kankuro mocked sarcastically. She scowled at him, glaring with a ferocity that rivaled Gaara's.

"I love Gaara," she growled, slightly louder. "Don't make me say it again."

"Is that true?" A deadly calm and horrifyingly familiar voice questioned from directly behind her. Ryoka shot to her feet and whirled around, finding herself face to face with Gaara himself, his pale green eyes watching her with a strange expression. He was a mere two inches from her, much closer than she was prepared for. Temari stood a few feet behind him, exchanging a triumphant glance with Kankuro.

"Y-you didn't," Ryoka stammered, her expression horrified as she looked back and forth between Temari and Kankuro. She took an unsteady step back, not realizing that there was no footing there. Gaara caught her arm before she fell, pulling her back away from the edge. She stared at his shoulder, which was eye-level with her, afraid for the first time in her life to meet his eyes.

"Nadeshiko," he said quietly. "Is that true?"

Ryoka's eyes widened. How was she supposed to answer a question like that?

"Y-yes," she stammered, unable to deny it. She had never been a good liar, and she had a certain inability to say no to the red haired jinchuriki.

"I never got the chance to tell you," he said quietly. "But you look really beautiful tonight."

Temari grinned proudly.

"Finally," she muttered under her breath. Kankuro glanced at her.

"Did you tell him what to do?" He asked under his breath.

"Hopefully he can figure it out from here," she whispered. She grabbed Kankuro and jumped off the roof, leaving them alone.

"Nadeshiko, I-"

"It's okay," she interrupted. "You don't have to say anything."

She took a careful step away from him.

"I don't mind just being the way we are now." She gave him a sad smile. "You don't have to pretend anything. I'm okay with just training with

you, and I-"

"Nadeshiko," he cut her off sharply.

She winced slightly, trying without success to meet his eyes. Would he be angry? Relieved? Frustrated? She didn't want to meet his gaze and find out. His actions surprised her far more. He gently took her face in his hands, tilting her head upwards so that her eyes were forced to meet his. Her breath caught in her throat.

Gaara gently pulled her face towards his and pressed his lips against hers, cutting off her words. Her eyes shot open wide in shock, her hands falling limply at her sides. The kiss was soft and sweet, and her heart was beating rapidly, too fast for her to keep up with. His red hair tickled her face. Her eyes slowly closed until he pulled away slightly hesitantly, wondering how the kiss had been received. His pale eyes met hers, and his lips twitched upwards at the blush creeping up her cheeks.

"K-K-K-Kazekage-sama-"

"Gaara," he corrected. Concern crossed his features at her expression.

"Daijobu, Nadeshiko?"

She nodded, but she was certain that if he let go of her she would lose her balance and fall off the roof.

"H-how are you so confident?" She asked disbelievingly. His lips twitched.

"I'm not," he answered.

"Feel." He gently took her hand and pressed it against his heart. She blushed. His heartbeat was nearly as fast as hers.

"Kazekage-sama.."

"Gaara."

"G-Gaara," she corrected herself, "I-"

"DAMN YOU RYOKA!"

Ryoka cringed at the sound of Temari's voice.

"She must have found the shoes," Ryoka whispered fearfully.

"Shoes? The ones you hid behind the plant?" Gaara questioned.

"Mm, come on, lets go," Ryoka murmured hastily, walking to the stairs. "I don't want to be here when she comes back."

Gaara followed her down the stairs, slightly perplexed.

Unfortunately, as soon as they opened the door, Temari was waiting, hands on her hips.

"Temari, what are you so upset about?" Kankuro muttered. "They're just shoes."

Temari's eye twitched, and Gaara glanced from his sister to Ryoka, mildly concerned.

"Don't touch her Temari," he said in a low voice, little more than a growl.

"We're just going to have a talk," Temari promised sweetly, her voice dripping with venom. She motioned for Ryoka to follow, but the ninja stayed at Gaara's side, hesitant.

"What if she finds out I'm wearing pants, too?" Ryoka whispered. Kankuro burst out laughing.

"Man, Temari's going to kill you," he chortled, grinning at Ryoka. She turned to Gaara, meeting his eyes before following the angry blonde.

"How'd you do?" Kankuro asked once Ryoka had left.

Gaara stared at him blankly.

"Come on, you at least kissed her didn't you?"

Gaara slowly nodded, and Kankuro's jaw dropped.

"You did?!" Kankuro paled. "My little brother got a girlfriend before me."

Kankuro swore. "Damnit Gaara! I never expected this!" He stormed away angrily, leaving the young Kazekage in complete confusion. Gaara dutifully bid the guests farewell before departing, hoping to speak to Ryoka before morning. He walked to his quarters, pausing in front of Temari's room. He could hear his sister ranting inside. He opened the door, not bothering to knock, to reveal Ryoka sitting cross legged on the floor in pajamas while Temari stood threateningly above her.

"...can't believe you! Most women love the opportunity to feel beautiful! But you? No, you not only attend a formal gathering barefoot, but you wear pants underneath your dress? What were thinking?!"

Ryoka watched the angry blonde blankly.

"If I had to run somewhere..." She began logically.

"You don't have to run anywhere! We are your family now, Ryoka! If you're attacked, we are going to protect you! Wearing pants is absolutely unnecessary!"

Ryoka blinked in surprise. Then her gaze traveled over Temari's shoulder to Gaara, who was standing in the doorway.

"Am I interrupting?" He questioned in a low voice.

"Yes," Temari replied shortly. She scowled, crossing her arms with a sigh. Ryoka stood up quickly, her cheeks flushed.

She glanced at Temari.

"Go on," the blonde sighed. Ryoka walked past her to Gaara's side and he closed the door, walking down the hall. She followed quietly, unsure of what to say. Gaara seemed so good at this. He always looked confident, like he knew exactly what he was doing and what he wanted. She on the other hand, was confused and hesitant. She had no idea what she was doing or what she wanted.

"What's wrong?"

She glanced up in surprise. Gaara had stopped a few feet in front of her, and he was looking over his shoulder at her.

"Nothing."

She kept walking. At least she looked calm outwardly, even if she was in turmoil on the inside. They walked to the roof, like they often had before. Ryoka remembered the first time she had met him up there with a small smile. Both suffering from insomnia, she had hoped to spend her time on the roof just as she had in Konoha, watching the moon. She had been dangling her legs of the edge of the roof, hands in her lap, when Gaara had materialized behind her. She hasn't heard him, which was an impressive compliment in itself. When he asked what she was doing, she had been so startled that she fell off the roof and onto the ground two stories below. His expression when she hit the ground had been priceless. Then again, hers probably hasn't been much better. That had still been when she barely spoke. Ever since then they would sit on the roof together in silence during the night. He meditated sometimes, something she tried to do, but she got viciously attacked by the seven tails every time she tried. That reminded her. The night of no moon was tomorrow. She would be leaving sooner than she thought. Was she capable of convincing Gaara to let her go alone? They reached the roof and she sat down, watching the morning sun break over the horizon.

"Nadeshiko," Gaara asked suddenly.

She glanced at him.

"Will you tell me your story?"

She frowned slightly.

"My past?" He nodded. She looked down at her feet. She didn't want to, but Gaara deserved to know, and it would give her the opportunity to tell him about trying to kill the previous Kazekage. She could feel his green eyes watching her. It was impossible to deny him. Perhaps he would be angry and that would give her a chance to leave Suna alone to deal with her tailed beast. She hesitated. What all should she tell?

She watched the sun rise slowly, fatigued from the celebration.

"...I became a jinchuriki when I was five," she began quietly, not looking at him. It made her feel vulnerable to tell the story, which she hated, but she continued anyways.

"A distant relative was the previous jinchuriki, and was unwilling to pass the burden to his son, so it was decided that my family would be held responsible."

"How cruel."

"It was what it was," she replied indifferently.

"I was born in the Village of Shadows. I spent one year at the ninja academy there, before leaving."

"Why did you want to become a ninja?"

Ryoka's lips twitched upwards, remembering Kohaku asking her the exact same question. Now she would have to reply honestly.

"To protect my little sister."

He stiffened slightly, no doubt remembering her breakdown when he saw her by Kyoka's body.

"Then what?"

He questioned. She explained softly how her family had been killed, finding it much more difficult to talk about the memories of her parents, brother, and friends than he had expected. She told him she and Kyoka had been the only survivors, and they left the destroyedd village to head to Konoha.

"So your brother gave you the forehead protector?" She nodded, untying it and holding it in her hands. The symbol of Shadow was as clear as ever, a rounded spiral with three spikes protruding from the branches.

"Where did you go?"

"To a village nearby. Kyoka couldn't travel much longer, so I allowed someone there to care for her while I continued to Konoha."

"I see." She couldn't tell if he approved or not, but she didn't care.

"B-before going to Konoha, I stopped at Suna to gather supplies..."

Gaara nodded.

"Temari mentioned she met you, but that you vanished soon after."

"A- actually I was banished... By the Kazekage."

Gaara's eyes widened.

"How would a child like you get banished by him?" He questioned in a low voice. "You would've had to done something near assassination to get banished."

His accuracy made Ryoka blush in shame, which didn't go unnoticed.

"...Nadeshiko?"

"I entered Suna with Temari-San," he said firmly, determined to tell the full story. "On the way I saw a boy, barely older than I was."

Gaara sat next to her, resting an arm on his knee. She didn't look at him, but she could feel his eyes on her.

Ryoka's voice went back to its soft, quiet tone.

"They were playing with a ball, and the boy retrieved it for them." Her tone turned slightly bitter.

"They ran when he tried to give it to them. They were afraid of him."

"Why?" Gaara questioned.

She blinked. How could she answer that without giving away that it had been Gaara?

"He was different," she answered softly after a moment of hesitation.

"Even Temari-San seemed wary of him, and it made me angry. I had thought that everyone like me was alone, and treated like a monster."

"Alone?" Gaara repeated quietly.

"I overheard some villagers talking. They said..." She hesitated before correcting herself. "They convinced me that the Kazekage was to blame. So I went to the Kazekage Building..."

Strange. She was sitting on the roof of the very same building now. It felt like a lifetime ago since she had rashly attempted to attack the Kazekage.

"What did they say?"

She looked at him in surprise, feeling her heartbeat quicken automatically as she met his eyes.

"N-nothing," she lied, knowing it was obvious. He frowned slightly, watching her. He waited, and she but her lip. With a sigh, she looked down at her bare feet, her face rivaling Gaara's hair.

"They said that the boy's father was the Kazekage, and that he was in charge of the assassins targeting him," she muttered angrily. His eyes widened.

"Me?"

"But I don't regret it," she defended herself. "No father should be doing that to their own son. A- And you didn't do anything wrong, so yes I tried to attack him and called him a terrible father, so he banished me, but I-"

"Nadeshiko."

She froze, meeting his eyes worriedly. Was he angry?

"Arigato." He took her hand in his, and she watched in wonder as his lips turned up slightly in a small smile.

"G-Gaara..."

"Thank you."

** Last Minute Author's Note: No cliffhangers this time! I should let you guys know that I will be taking a week off from updates for Spring Break, so I thought this would be a good place to take a break so y'all don't get too curious. Please review and depending on how much feedback I get, I might upload two chapters when I get back!**


	28. 28 Running From Home

**Aaaaaand I'm back! Hey everyone! I hope you guys had an awesome break... Well, I guess I can't say that since I don't know y'all's schedules or if you're even in school... Hmm. Well I hope you all had a lovely week, break or no. I sure enjoyed it, hibernating to my hearts delight and whatnot. Here's your update as promised(: happy reading and please review!**

"You shouldn't thank me for trying to kill your father," she said in a low voice.

She was surprised that he wasn't angry, but grateful? That felt wrong.

"I am thanking you for defending me. Nothing more."

She glanced at him, frowning at his upfront honesty.

"What happened once you were banished?" He questioned, coercing her to continue.

She thought back, remembering. She nervously fingered the wolf eye ring she wore.

"I went to Konoha."

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

His fingers tightened around hers.

"You are."

"I ran into trouble on the way, but I still went to Konoha," she replied stubbornly.

"Is that where these came from?"

He touched her arm, where the faint, silvery scars wound up her wrist and arms, barely visible to the naked eye.

She didn't answer, reluctant to give away any more. She had told enough for one day hadn't she?

"I was caught by a few Swordsmen. I left after three days, it wasn't consequential," she said quietly.

He watched her for a while in silence, thinking through what he knew.

"Did they torture you?" He asked softly. She stood abruptly.

"That's enough," she said sharply, pulling her hand out of his.

"I'm done answering questions." She turned to jump down from the roof, but he grabbed her arm gently, stopping her.

"Just tell me why," he requested in a low voice. "What was their purpose? What did they gain from harming you?"

She jerked her arm out of his. Glaring at him with bright gold eyes, he watched her calmly, waiting for an answer.

She turned to face the rising sun.

"They called you a monster," she muttered. "I told them they were wrong."

Gaara froze.

She leapt down from the roof, vanishing before she touched the ground.

Temari had never seen her brother so angry, not since before the Chuunin Exams. He didn't appear angry, simply sitting down, arms crossed tightly across his chest, but anytime someone tried to talk to him, he glared at them so furiously that they immediately scurried away in fright. A building stack of paperwork was getting larger and larger on his desk, but he ignored it, his eyes narrowed and his mouth set in a dark scowl, murderous fury occupying his features. Temari continued sorting through the books and maps she had been looking at. She hadn't seen Ryoka all morning. She hoped it was unrelated. The couple couldn't have possibly fought after barely one night of being together could they? She dismissed the notion. That was ridiculous. Temari had never seen Ryoka argue with someone in her life. Perhaps it was the strain of being Kazekage. Had the higher ups been giving him a hard time? She decided to find out.

"Gaara, if looks could kill, half of Suna would be dead by now," she began easily, placing a stack of maps on a table and standing, hands on her hips.

He shifted his glare to her and she shivered. It had been a long time since his eyes had held that much anger.

"What's wrong?" She asked, genuinely concerned.

Gaara stood, moving to his desk and picking up a stack of papers, his eyes scanning the content quickly.

"She was tortured," he said shortly, spitting out the last word. He took a pen, dipped it in ink, and began filling out the work quickly, signing documents and filling out information. Temari sighed. She had guessed as much. The difference from the girl she had met as a child and the silent ninja that participated in the Chuunin Exams had been colossal. Even without saying anything Temari had guessed Ryoka's past had been difficult. The fact that Gaara was concerned was normal, but she hadn't expected him to get angry. Would he go after the torturers and kill them? She hadn't considered that, but now that she thought about it, it was more than likely. She frowned. She doubted the elders would approve of their Kazekage suddenly leaving and killing some ninja from who knew where.

"You mean Ryoka?" She questioned carefully, even though it was obvious. He picked up the second stack of papers, eyes narrowing as he skimmed over them.

"Yes."

"Well I'm sure those people are in jail now," she assured him, hoping to calm him down. "Ninja who do that kind of thing usually get caught right away, and Ryoka seems alright now that she has us, right? So you don't have to-"

"You don't understand, Temari!" He insisted, roughly dropping the papers down on the desk.

"She did it for me. She defended me, and was tortured because of it. It's my fault." Gaara pressed his hand against his forehead, closing his eyes.

Woah. Temari had not expected that one.

"Gaara..." She murmured.

"She tried to kill Father," he continued, running a hand through his red hair.

"Nani?!" Temari gasped. "Why?!"

"Because he tried to assassinate me. It's why she was banished."

"Ryoka went that far...?"

"She's always saving me," he growled. Small grains of sand whipped around his hands and feet, showing his agitation.

"But Gaara, you've saved her several times as well," she objected, not sure why he was angry.

"I doubt she thinks you owe her in any way, and-"

Her eyes widened as Gaara slammed his fist into the wall, making several cracks appear in the hardened concrete. He was breathing heavily, and Temari wondered for an instant if Shukaku was affecting him.

"I don't deserve this," Gaara snarled, raising his head to meet Temari's eyes. "I don't deserve _her_."

"You're over thinking this, Gaara. You've done plenty to deserve her." Temari rolled out a map and peered over it, wondering how on earth Gaara had managed to get so attached to Ryoka without realizing it himself.

"Don't lie," he spat.

"I'm not lying. Why don't you talk to her? If she's told you this much then I'm sure she will tell you the truth."

Gaara closed his eyes, calming himself down.

"I don't know where she is," he said in a low voice.

"Well then go ask Saki-San. Saki has been following Ryoka for years."

"Saki has been gone since morning," Kankuro cut in, walking in the room.

"What did I miss?"

"Gone?!" Temari gasped. "But the only reason she would leave is if-"

"Ryoka left, too, I know," Kankuro finished. "That's what I came to talk to you about. Did Ryoka tell any of you she was leaving?"

Gaara's head snapped up.

"What day is it?" He asked sharply. "How far away is the New Moon?"

Kankuro glanced at a calendar.

"It's tonight, why?"

Gaara swore under his breath.

"We can still find her, Gaara," Temari assured the young Kazekage.

"You're wrong, Temari," Kankuro interrupted.

Temari glanced at Kankuro in surprise.

"What makes you say that?" She questioned haughtily.

"Ryoka is the Wanderer of the legends. If she doesn't want to be found, then no one will find her."

Ryoka melted into the shadows, sensing Saki following her. Despite being grateful for the company, Ryoka would have to get rid of her soon. There was no way she could fight and win a battle with a tailed beast when there were others around. She vanished to her left, noting Saki's surprise, and appeared directly in front of the shinobi, glaring at her with ferocity.

"Don't follow me," Ryoka said darkly.

Saki tried to object, but Ryoka cut her off.

"I could kill you. Don't follow."

Ryoka formed a seal and the whites of her eyes darkened to black as she vanished in a swirl of darkness. Shadow travel was risky, but it was untraceable, and Ryoka had almost mastered it completely. Even a fellow ninja like Saki couldn't trace her. She appeared next to the entrance of Suna, ready to leave. She had left a note, hopefully it would be discovered, telling the siblings to forget her, since she didn't know how long she would be gone, or if she would return at all. It hurt to leave Gaara. There was no point in denying it, but most of the reason she was leaving was because of him. Everyone she allowed herself to love was killed. It had been a mistake to let herself love Gaara. He would get hurt, and it would be her fault. Just like her mother, her father, her brother, her sister, and Kohaku. They loved her. They all died. Now Gaara was the only one that gave her a purpose. If he died, she would have nothing. So, he had to forget.

"Where are you going, Ryoka?"

Kankuro. She turned and met his eyes, thinking quickly.

"There is something I have to do, Kankuro-San," she replied quietly.

"Did you really think you could just leave without saying goodbye?" He questioned, the tiniest trace of hurt in his voice.

"I need a favor, Kankuro-San," she requested softly. "I need you, Temari-San, and Gaara-sama to forget me."

"Nani?! Why would we-"

"I don't know how long it will take me to return, or if I will return."

Kankuro's eyes narrowed.

"Gaara will never stop looking for you," he insisted darkly.

"Tell him whatever it takes. Tell him I don't love him, tell him I left for my own benefit..." Ryoka looked Kankuro dead in the eye.

"And if that won't work then tell him I'm dead."

Kankuro's eyes widened.

"What is worth going that far?!" He demanded angrily.

"I can't tell you. Please, Kankuro-San."

Kankuro clenched his teeth.

"Do you really expect us to let you go like this? You're part of our family too, Ryoka."

Ryoka winced, hating herself for what she was about to say.

"My family is dead." She kept her eyes cold.

Kankuro blinked in surprise. Then his expression darkened.

"Fine," he said abruptly. He turned and walked stiffly away.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, too low for him to hear. She turned and walked out of Suna alone, closing her eyes to hide her pain. As soon as she dealt with the seven tails, she would make it up to them. Somehow, she would repay them for accepting her.

She had walked a couple of miles out from Suna when she sensed someone following her. She turned around, and a certain boy with jade eyes watched her from a few meters away.

"What are you doing here?" Ryoka questioned quietly, mentally punishing herself for not paying attention to someone following her.

"Well you're my sensei, Ryoka-sama. I'm supposed to follow you, ne?"

"Go home, Satoru-kun," Ryoka sighed, running a hand tiredly through her hair.

"But you have to keep teaching me," her student persisted. "None of the other teachers understand me or can help me learn."

Ryoka scowled. If she sent him home alone, he wouldn't make it back to the village before dark, and the guards wouldn't let him in. If she went with him, she would never get back out unnoticed. If she sent him back tomorrow, she would have lost one day of distance, and Gaara would find her without a doubt. That only left one option.

"Fine, you may come with me, but it won't be an easy journey, so you have to do what I tell you, okay?"

"Yes!" He agreed enthusiastically.

"If I tell you to hide, you hide."

He nodded.

"If I tell you to take cover, you take cover."

Anther nod. She looked him square in the eye.

"If I tell you to run, and leave me behind, you will do so."

"But Ryoka-sama-"

"No buts Satoru. Do you understand?"

"H-hai." The boy looked at his feet.

"Alright, let's go."

**Hope I didn't let you guys down. For the record, I have no idea who and what y'all imagine when you read my story, but if you have any interest in what I've been imagining for almost two months, I've drawn a select few scenes from the story, including Ryoka and Gaara, the seven tails, etc. and if you'd like to see what the characters look like in my mind, I was considering posting a YouTube link that had a slide show of my work. I really have no clue if posting links is looked down upon or anything (some sites hate it) but I'm not trying to sell anything, I just thought y'all might be curious, so let me know in your reviews if that's anything you'd want to see, otherwise I won't bother with it. Thanks for all the positive feedback!**


	29. 29 From the Shadows

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! Almost to thirty chapters! I'm pretty excited, and to think I've come this far. I actually went back and read a couple of the first chapters today and realized exactly how much has been going on in the plot :0 I'm really glad I planned the storyline in advance, since otherwise this story would have gotten off topic really fast. Please Review as always, hearing all o your opinions whether good or bad make me want to keep writing (: thanks!**

They had been searching for over a week. When Saki had returned, Temari had interrogated her about Ryoka's location, but the shinobi had just shaken her head, saying Ryoka had told her to get lost before she had a chance to follow. Kankuro had been oddly quiet lately, but had searched along with the rest of them. As for Gaara, he was constantly in his office, dutifully doing his part as Kazekage, but Temari knew it was killing him to not know, even if he appeared to be as content as he always was. She had seen him leaving one night to look for her, but so far to no avail. They had alerted Baki-sensei, but he had advised them to keep it quiet. After all, Ryoka would be labeled a rogue ninja if word got out, and then teams would have to be dispatched to eliminate her. So Baki had submitted a report that Ryoka was simply on an extended S-Rank mission, the details of which were classified, and whose return date was unknown. Meanwhile, they would just have to keep looking. After two weeks had passed, with no sign of Ryoka, Temari went to an inn, hoping without hope that some of the gossip would contain something interesting or helpful, as she had for several days. Life felt like it was missing something when Temari returned from work, missing the familiar watchful gold eyes gazing at her to make sure she was okay. Ryoka had watched over them all the time, and now it felt strange to be missing that unconscious sense of safety her presence had brought. Temari remembered Ryoka's perplexed face as she tried to dress her up with a smile. She remembered her blushing as she had set her up with Gaara, and her quiet confidence that could easily become awkward shyness when it came to social situations. She sighed. Why on earth did she leave? It left an ache in her chest. Temari entered the inn, sitting at the bar with a sigh, her chin resting in her hand.

"Long day?" The bartender asked kindly, cleaning a glass with a rag.

"Just missing someone," she replied.

"Really? Somehow you never struck me as the sentimental type, Temari-San."

Temari smirked.

"Is that how you should speak to the sister of the Kazekage?" She mocked halfheartedly. He laughed jovially.

"I remember when you were six years old and saying the same thing in reference to your father," he chuckled.

"You were quite the brat, Temari-San."

"I'll take that as a compliment," she returned with a grin.

"Still coming to hear the rumors?" He questioned, putting the shining glass in its place on a shelf.

"Ah, anything new?" She questioned, ready for another disappointment.

"Actually, I had a couple of people talking about that Wanderer legend, but it sounded mighty exaggerated to me."

Temari choked on her water.

"Nani?! What did they say?"

The bartender raised his eyebrows.

"They're still here, I'll call 'em over."

He nodded towards a table, where a few men were joking and laughing with each other.

"Oi! You boys!"

The men glanced over.

"What is it?" One of them questioned. "Did we pay enough?"

"What did you lads hear about that Wanderer?" The bartender asked.

"Wanderer? That ghost that protects people?"

"Baka," one of the others interrupted. "She's a real person, my cousin saw her with his own eyes a couple years ago."

"Don't make up stories," a third one chuckled. "You're full of yourself, Yaoki."

Yaoki scowled. "It's true," he insisted. "Word is, she's been seen near Suna lately."

"Where?" Temari questioned quickly.

"Baka," the other one chided. "You're getting Wanderer mixed up with the Kazekage's girlfriend."

"The Kazekage has a girlfriend?!" Yaoki exclaimed. "You're joking."

"I'm not, she was at the celebration."

"No way..." Yaoki trailed off. "But the Kazekage's so..."

"Urusai," Temari barked, making all of them look at her in surprise, and then guilt at realizing the Kazekage's sister was in this very room.

"Just tell me what you know about the Wanderer as of late."

Yaoki coughed.

"Ano..." He began. "Word is that the Wanderer has returned, and has a partner with her, though nothing is known about him. As for her whereabouts, nobody knows. According to legend she never stays in one place for more than a couple of days."

Temari frowned. A companion? Who would succeed in convincing her not to go alone? It couldn't be Gaara or Saki, and as far as she knew, Ryoka didn't like making friends. Perhaps a student? Or someone from her past? But she had assumed all of Ryoka's childhood friends and family were dead except for Saki, and Saki was still here. What on earth was going on?

Ryoka walked through the underground tunnels, sensing Satoru still asleep where she had left him. She wouldn't disturb anyone here. She sat crosslegged on the ground, as she had for a week now. Perhaps she would succeed this time. For seven days, she had attempted to call out her second self, the side of hatred that had earned her the title of being a 'child of the moon'. According to Saki, she had to defeat it before controlling Nana-bi, and yesterday she had come very, very close to calling it out, but dawn had broken before she could. As soon as there was light, she failed to make any progress. Now that she was underground, however, that wouldn't be a problem.

She sat on the ground and closed her eyes. Darkness swirled around in her mind, and she focused, ignoring the tailed beast's usual attack on her mind. She focused her energy on the center of the writhing mass of darkness, and slowly but surely, a figure emerged. She looked exactly like Ryoka, except for having black eyes, and her expression was anything but emotionless. Her eyes depicted a cold, dark fury that sent chills down Ryoka's spine.

_What do you want?_

The voice reverberated in Ryoka's mind like daggers of ice.

_I want to control the seven tails,_ she replied quietly, _and I need to overcome you to do it._

The evil Ryoka smirked, glaring down at her with black, empty eyes.

_Is it so that you can save that boy? The jinchuriki of Shukaku? As if you could. He hates you now. You abandoned him, and the others. They all should hate you. They accepted you and gave you a family when you didn't have one, and in return you left without a word just to get more power, _shehissed.

Ryoka clenched her teeth.

_I could care less about the power_, she snapped. _I can't keep fighting with the seven tails all the time. He interferes when I try to protect people, he makes my abilities go out of control, and every New Moon I have to hide like a werewolf just so that I don't hurt people! I don't give a damn about the power! I- I just want to save Gaara._

The evil Ryoka smiled cruelly, reaching out and caressing her cheek, making Ryoka shiver. Her fingers were like ice sliding down her skin.

_Save Gaara? Save Gaara? Gaara hates you. You left Gaara. Who is there left to protect? Nobody wants you. Nobody needs you. All you have is me. All you have left is hatred,_ she murmured silkily, her hand resting on Ryoka's shoulder. Ryoka's eyes were wide, gold staring back at black.

_You think you can save people still? You tried to save your mother, and she was cut up by attackers. You tried to save your father, he died before you got there. You tried to save your brother, but he was a bloody mess after trying to protect your sister. Oh, yes, and your sister… You tried to leave her so that she'd survive, hm? And that worked, didn't it? As long as you stayed away, and she didn't know who you were, she was safe. As soon as she remembered you, and you go too close, she was killed right in front of you. Pierced through the heart._

Ryoka's breath caught in her throat. _Stop._

The evil Ryoka smiled. _Perhaps you should stay away from everyone. Nobody loves you, but I'm still here. Your hatred will always be here._

Ryoka lunged towards her evil self, but the other Ryoka danced away, laughing cruelly. Ryoka was trembling. How could she overcome a part of herself that dominated so much of her life?

_It's because you hate yourself._

Ryoka whirled around, searching for the unfamiliar voice, but she found no one. Evil Ryoka's face contorted with fury.

_Shut up! You should hate her too! Don't interfere, Nana-bi!_

Nana-bi? The seven tails?

_You hate yourself, so you obviously can't defeat your hatred. Don't be an idiot, _the voice scolded.

_Why are you giving me advice?_ She questioned, confused. No answer.

_Nana-bi?_

No answer. She looked back at her evil self, who looked shaken. Ryoka frowned slightly. Did she hate herself? It wasn't too hard to believe. She hated that she hadn't been able to save her friends, or her family, and she hated herself for making so many mistakes and for leaving the Sand siblings without saying goodbye, on the hopes that she would be presumed dead. But how could she change that? How could she not hate herself? She glanced at her evil self, basically the representative of her hatred. Did she have to love her hatred? Or just love herself? Was there a difference? She would have to find out. Evil Ryoka drew a kunai, licking the blade in wicked glee. The dark impression sped towards her, and Ryoka's heartbeat accelerated as she forced herself to remain still. She felt the kunai enter her gut like an icy dagger, and Ryoka coughed, blood flying from her mouth.

_Now why would you do something like that? _Her evil self hissed, sounding slightly scared.

_Shouldn't we love each other? If we're going to be together anyways, shouldn't we stop trying to kill? I'm tired of fighting you. I can't keep hating myself, and I can't keep thinking I'm not worth anything. If nothing else, I'm worth one life that can die to protect Gaara. But that is still more than nothing._

The little color in evil Ryoka's face drained away.

_What will happen to me?_

Ryoka smiled. _Now we will take on the Nana-bi together._

Evil Ryoka smirked. _He's not as against you as you think,_ she murmured, vanishing in a swirl of darkness. _I'm trusting you on this one, Ryoka._

Just like that, the fight was over.

Ryoka opened her eyes, not knowing how much time had passed. It was impossible to tell underground. She shot to her feet, turning to leave, and froze in her tracks. A boy was standing before her, in a white shirt, blue pants, and a purple rope tied loosely around his waist. His eyes and hair were dark, his skin pale as ever.

"What were you doing?" He questioned darkly. She clenched her teeth. He didn't deserve to speak to her. They had gone through several similar pains in the past, and according to records, he had left Konoha. Then again, was she much better? She had left Suna. She swore. But she wasn't trying to get revenge. Did that make it okay? It didn't, but he was hurting his comrades on purpose. She didn't want to hurt the ninja of the Sand, she just wanted to be forgotten. There was also the difference that he was seeking out Orochimaru for power, whom she detested with a burning passion because of an incident that had occurred when she was younger.

"Nadeshiko Ryoka." The way he said her name sent chills down her spine. She opened her mouth to speak.

"Uchiha... Sasuke."

Her voice echoed strangely off the dimly lit walls of the tunnel.

"I am doing what you could not," she said softly.

"Oh? And what is that?" He asked in a low voice. Her lips twitched.

"Overcoming my hatred."

His eyes narrowed.

"I'm here to finish our fight. I want you to tell me why you are strong. What made you strong." His voice was deep and deadly. Not that she cared. His glare had nothing on Gaara's, or her's for that matter.

"I refuse."

"Nani?"

"I'm not going to fight you."

"For what reason?"

"You disgust me," she said quietly, a hint of venom in her voice. His eye twitched.

"You can't begin to understand me," he snapped.

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow. Something about Sasuke had always irked her. He always brought out her more angry side.

"Your clan was brutally murdered," she stated calmly.

He clenched his teeth.

"So was my entire village," she continued, eyes narrowing. His eyes widened slightly.

"The only survivor you knew of was your brother. Mine was my sister."

She didn't stop, unable to hold back her irritation, even as his mouth parted slightly in shock.

"You got strong for your brother, and I got strong for my sister. You felt like an outcast in Konoha. I was literally an outcast. You lived alone. I lived by myself in a house I didn't even own. You left Konoha as a rogue. I left Suna two weeks ago. Don't you dare say I don't understand your pain, Uchiha Sasuke, because we went through the exact same thing, and I managed not to make the wrong damn choices you did."

Sasuke tried to regain his composure and return to his cool, emotionless expression, but didn't completely succeed.

"I'm trying to kill my brother, that's the main difference. Knowing you, your sister is most likely happy and safe with a new family," he guessed darkly, crossing his arms and glaring at her with contempt.

"She's dead," Ryoka replied shortly. "Get over yourself, Sasuke."

With that she turned and walked away, not bothering to feel amused at Sasuke's shocked expression.

She had to get Satoru and leave. She was done here.

**Last Minute Author's Note: Okay, so as soon as I put together all my drawings I will go ahead and post a link. I figured it wouldn't matter since its up to you whether you want to look at it or not, so I'll just have the link there in case. So I'll keep you posted on how far along I am with that, and look forward to Friday's update! Thanks for all of your feedback!**


	30. 30 Coming Home

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! Thirty chapters as of today! I kinda of want to just tell all of you how much I appreciate you being so supportive. Out of all the reviews and messages I've gotten, I haven't had a single negative or rude review and I've gotten lots of constructive criticism and compliments. That means a lot to me, so thank you. Also thanks especially to Lieutenant Winter, since I've really looked forward to your advice and you've helped me a lot, so just a shout out to you. Please keep reviewing and happy reading!**

Six months was a long time. Six months was half a year. More than five months, less than seven. Six months was how long it took Ryoka to control and befriend the Seven Tails. Six months was how long it took her to train Satoru to become a Jounin level ninja. Six months was hopefully long enough for the Sand to forget she existed. Ryoka had tried to send Satoru back after the first week, but he had refused, saying he wanted to stay with her as long as she was away from Suna, even if that meant forever. It had been a touching thing to say, but at the time, it had been frustrating. Especially since she hadn't fully been able to control the seven tails. Ryoka had been very, very surprised at the way she had befriended the Nana-bi, whose name, she had discovered, was Natsuko, representative of balance. Natsuko had explained, albeit reluctantly, that just as Kyuubi was full of hate, and Shukaku was full of chaos, Hachibi had actually been full of reason, and as Nanabi, Natsuko had been of balance. Taking on the form of a wolf, he was in essence the symbol of yin and yang. On the night of the full moon, he was good with only some evil, and it was the opposite on the night of no moon. So two weeks after the new moon, when Ryoka had sought him out, not to fight, but just to understand, she had stayed by Natsuko's cage for nearly a week trying to question him and understand. She eventually got up the courage to enter his confines, and after the initial attempt to kill her, had allowed her to sit within the black flames and explain what she wanted. It had taken a very long time, but after admitting that she didn't mind being a jinchuriki, since it meant you were never truly alone, the two had begun to tolerate each other. As soon as they had reached that point, their personalities had somewhat intertwined, for better or for worse. Natsuko's confidence and cold demeanor had mixed with Ryoka's personality, and in turn, he was much quieter than he used to be. The main thing that had lifted Ryoka's confidence however, was the strength that came with it. She had full control over her ability. She would never be able to change her power of manipulating darkness so that it didn't cause pain, but she could measure out the pain to be so small that it would feel like little more than a bruise.

Ryoka had saved several people recently, and even allowed Satoru to handle some on his own, but she found herself wandering indirectly towards Suna in spite of herself. She'd had a second run in with Sasuke, who had gotten no better, but he just regarded her coolly, and she vanished before he had a chance to cause trouble. That was an improvement. At the very least, he wasn't insisting on attacking her.

Satoru had improved incredibly. He was excellent in taijutsu, and had even developed some skill in shadow jutsu, which she had done her best to teach in small doses. She would never be able to pass on the gene she had from her village, the way of manipulating darkness, but she had managed to teach him some things, which he had excelled at with much hard work. He had, unfortunately, grown to be taller than her, despite her reluctance to accept it. She hadn't grown more than a half inch since leaving, and though she would never admit it, she was eye level with his nose now.

After six months, Ryoka finally decided to return to Suna. Even if Kankuro, Temari and... Gaara hated her, Suna felt like home. It was a feeling she wasn't accustomed to, and one she was afraid would turn out for the worse, but if anything, her encounter with Sasuke had taught her that it was wrong to keep trying to leave. Originally when people don't care about you, that's when it is okay to slip away, but when they trusted you, accepted you, and even loved you, all it did was hurt them when you left. Ryoka remembered her new family and wanted desperately to talk to them, return to being a part of that team, but she had run away. They would either have presumed her dead, forgotten her, or hate her by now. As for Gaara... As far as she had heard, he was doing well in protecting Suna, despite the villagers fearing him. Guilt rushed through her. How badly had she hurt him? He promised not to abandon her and she left without a word, leaving only a note that he may not have even found. She would have to be strong, even if he hated her for what she did.

She glanced at Satoru meaningfully and he vanished, appearing at her side. She nodded towards Suna, and he smiled slightly, understanding her intentions perfectly. Ryoka had slipped back into her habit of talking very little, especially since Satoru understood her body language perfectly, but it didn't bother her. If anything, it was more convenient. Today she would be returning to Suna.

The day had begun normally, the sun rising as it always did, as if disaster were not hours away. Temari woke early, as she always did, checking on Gaara, who was always awake before her, and heading towards Kankuro's room to wake him. She entered without knocking and roughly shook his shoulder.

"Get up, Kankuro," she said impatiently.

"Go away, Temari, I'll get up when Ryoka's up," he mumbled.

"Baka, Ryoka doesn't slee-" Temari cut off, realizing what she'd said at the same time Kankuro did. Kankuro sat up.

"Never mind," he muttered, getting out of bed. He glanced at Ryoka's room, now Saki's, on the way out, muttering about giving up too soon. Temari sighed. They had stopped looking for Ryoka after a month, when it was clear she didn't want to be found. Kankuro had been against it, but there wasn't much else they could do. Temari had a suspicion that Gaara still searched for her at night sometimes, but she had never caught him in the act. Now it had been half a year. Why didn't she just come home already?

Temari had worried for a while that Matsuri would replace Ryoka as Gaara's partner, since the young kunoichi refused to leave Gaara's side after he rescued her, but so far he hadn't shown any interest other than that of her teacher. She checked the usual inns as she did every day, but there were no new tales of the Wanderer. There hadn't been for a while, so Temari hoped that Ryoka was simply lying low, rather than having been... Killed. Temari shook her head. Such thoughts were pointless. There was no reason to think that way. Ryoka was strong. She had to be alive.

With a sigh, Temari walked to Baki's house, needing to deliver a report. She hadn't thought about Ryoka for a while. She must miss the shinobi more than she realized. Maybe now she understood how Naruto and the others had felt when Sasuke had left them. She had helped in the Sasuke retrieval mission, but they couldn't send a mission to find Ryoka without her being labeled a rogue. She turned her report into Baki, and spent the rest of the day training while Kankuro worked to improve his puppets.

In his office, Gaara's eyes shifted to the window. He glanced at the note he had just recently found in his desk, his hand closing tightly around it, obscuring the words printed neatly on it. Looking back at the window, a large white bird appeared and vanished. He frowned slightly. Standing, he walked out to the hallway and jumped on to the roof. He hadn't been on the roof since _she_ had left. It brought back unwelcome memories. He crossed his arms, waiting. The intruder landed quickly, not noticing him.

"Infiltration successful," he proudly murmured. It was a blonde man, with some hair hanging over his eye while another part was tied up on his head. His one visible eye was blue, the other bearing some strange ocular lens. He looked up, seeing Gaara, and his sadistic smile widened.

"This is as far as you go," Gaara growled.

"Hm, but how did you know I was the intruder?" The man asked cockily, smiling. Gaara glared at him in silence before answering.

"...there are no birds like that in this desert," he finally replied in a low voice.

It was late at night when Kankuro ran to get her.

"Temari!" He said urgently from the doorway.

"What's wrong?" She questioned.

"It's Gaara. He's fighting up in the sky."

Suddenly several explosions made the ground tremble.

"Nani?!" She demanded. "What on earth is going on?"

They ran to the second deck on the Kazekage building and gazed up into the sky. Sure enough, Gaara was standing on a trail of sand, facing off with an intruder riding atop a large white bird.

"G-Gaara..." Temari gasped. He was set on protecting the village.

Ryoka slipped into Suna unnoticed, Satoru following close behind. She felt vibrations run through the ground as an explosion went off farther into the village.

"What was that?" Satoru questioned quietly. She shook her head in bewilderment, picking up her pace to reach the Kazekage building faster.

Everyone was out on the streets, murmuring to each other and pointing at the sky. Ryoka climbed a building and peered at the sky, gold eyes flashing.

Looks like Suna has an intruder, Natsuko's voice reverberated in her mind.

Intruder?

Ah, probably one of those Akatsuki.

Ryoka frowned. All she knew about the Akatsuki is that they were a powerful group of criminals that were after money and power. Her eyes widened slightly at the battle taking place in the sky. Seeing Gaara again made her heart rate pick up, and she stood up on the roof, watching his calm, determined face take on the clan member. She nodded to herself. He could win this fight. She just had to make sure Temari and Kankuro were alright.

"Satoru, evacuate the people near the center of the village."

"Hai, Ryoka-sama." He didn't dare question her when she was serious like this. He vanished, and she jumped from roof to roof, nearing the Kazekage building with every step. The villagers were too preoccupied with their leader's fight to notice a ninja darting around them. Ryoka's mouth twitched upwards as she glanced at Gaara again. He was doing his duty as Kazekage, and protecting Suna. This would surely earn respect from the village. It made her feel warm to see how far he had come. He looked different too, even from a distance. His hair had gotten longer, and wasn't the dark bloodred it used to be. The kanji in his forehead was almost obscured by hair, and though it was difficult to tell, he looked taller. She tore her gaze from him as she neared the Kazekage Building. She had originally intended to avoid the guards, but upon closer inspection, they had already been killed, no doubt due to the intruder. There was a huge bang and a giant light filled the night sky. A colossal explosion made the ground shake. Ryoka's gaze shot to the sky and her mouth parted slightly in wonder. A giant shield of sand obliterated the sky, protecting the entire village from the explosion that had triggered above.

That much sand... How much longer could Gaara last? Refusing to dwell on it, she leapt through a window of the building. It was empty except for Saki. When Saki saw her, her jaw dropped.

"Ryoka?! Wh-what...?!"

Ryoka frowned as Saki clenched her fists at her sides.

"Where have you been for the past six months?! You think you can just show up now? Do you know how much Kankuro, Temari, and Gaara missed you?! I get you have a jinchuriki problem, but half a year?! What were you thinking?"

"Where are they?" Ryoka asked coolly, not having time to answer unnecessary questions. Saki clenched her teeth angrily.

"Gaara's fighting. Temari and Kankuro are watching on the roof. They're about to open fire," she said reluctantly. As if on cue, the sounds of arrows being launched and paper bombs exploding filled the air. Ryoka caught a vase before it fell to the ground from the reverberations, holding it up easily. The fire suddenly ceased, and Kankuro burst through the door, followed by an equally furious Temari.

"Get permission to send a mission out immediately! Tell them it's a Level 3 emergency!" Temari ordered.

Kankuro saw Ryoka in the room and froze, so shocked that Temari ran straight into him.

"Kankuro, you idiot! Stop standing there an get a move on!" She peered around him and her jaw dropped.

"Ryoka?!" She exclaimed disbelievingly. Ryoka's eyes narrowed. She took a cautious step forward, still holding the vase.

"Where is he?" She asked, her voice dangerously low. Overcoming their moment of shock, Temari and Kankuro exchanged uncomfortable glances.

"Ryoka... Gaara was taken by the intruder, and... He's presumed dead."

The vase slipped from her fingers and fell to the ground with a crash. Ryoka's eyes were wide, her face drained of all color.

Temari closed the distance between them and hugged the stunned girl, placing a comforting hand on her head.

"We missed you so much, and we are going to get Gaara back, okay?"

Ryoka pushed Temari away from her.

"You're wrong," she said shortly. "He isn't dead."

"Ryoka-" Kankuro tried to say something but she silenced him with a glare.

"He isn't."

She walked to the window, scanning the skies in vain to see which direction the intruder had left.

"Give us a week, Ryoka. In that time, we will leave to retrieve Gaara. We will get him back, we just need the mission-"

"That's too long. I'm leaving," Ryoka interrupted quietly. There. A faint trail of sand leading east. That's where she was going.

And if he is dead? What then? Natsuko's voice challenged.

Then you may have to find a new jinchuriki, she replied, her voice deadly calm.

And the Akatsuki?

I will kill them. All of them.

Before any of them could stop her, she had vanished.

"Well she seems different," Kankuro observed blatantly.

**Last minute Author's Note: okay so I don't really know how long the video will take, since I want to add a couple drawings before putting it together, but I'll keep you guys posted. Hope you like the chapter!**


	31. 31 Pursuit

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! I hope you guys are all having fun doing whatever you love to do! Here's the next chapter, (look forward to 32, that one's gonna be a real challenge) I hope you guys can bear with a bit more suspense(: Happy reading and please review!**

Ryoka was out of Suna in record time. Considering the city was a labyrinth of sandy buildings built within a massive crater surrounded by a canyon, it was quite a feat. She carefully scanned the desert horizon. It would be impossible to follow a trail of sand here. There was a massive pile of sand just outside the village, that hadn't yet blown away in the dusty hot wind. It held faint traces of his chakra, so she assumed it was the remains of the giant shield he had summoned to protect the village. She placed a hand on the sand, closing her eyes and focusing.

_Don't_! Natsuko demanded, but it was too late.

She murmured the command and stiffened as a cold searing pain tore through her hand and arm, her eyes immediately darkening to black. Now able to see traces of chakra like infrared vision, she scanned the desert once more. There. She could make out a strong pulse several miles away, traveling by air. She didn't sense any chakra emanating from Gaara. Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she closed her hand, breaking the jutsu. It had left angry red marks winding up her arm, that disappeared as they healed right before her eyes.

_Baka_, Natsuko hissed. She ignored him. Now wasn't the time to worry about the pain inflicted by a simple tracking technique. She set out in pursuit of the Akatsuki member, murder in her eyes, and also guilt. If she hadn't left, she could have protected him. She clenched her teeth. He couldn't be dead. He had promised he wouldn't abandon her.

He had _promised_.

She forced herself to keep thinking logically, even as sharp lances of pain shot through her chest. Her vision blurred with tears and she blinked them back. She had to focus. He couldn't be dead. He just couldn't be.

She sensed someone ahead and paused. It was dawn, but there were few shadows to hide in. She would detour around. She couldn't afford to take time in confronting someone, and judging by her senses he or she was powerful. She backtracked and made a wide circle, going around far enough to where it would be impossible to sense her. She saw him on her way forward, a hunched figure, slowly creeping along the desert sand, a black cloak with red clouds obscuring his face and body. Her teeth clenched. He was one of the Akatsuki. She would deal with him later. The detour had caused her to lose her trace. She swore quietly. Now what?

She looked to the side, in the direction of Konoha. Surely Naruto would come after his friend, wouldn't he? Had he already left? If so, she had to find them. She altered her direction, running swiftly toward Konoha. She leapt from tree to tree as soon as she reached the forest, only to see a figure sitting on a branch a few meters away. She stopped, landing in a crouch and standing to examine the ninja. He was tall, with a bulky Konoha forehead protector, and had striking white hair that stuck up seemingly at random around his head. He had kind eyes, with red streaks down the sides of his face. He looked on the older side, but Ryoka knew better than to underestimate him. Judging by his stance and attire, this was the third of the legendary Sannin, the only one he hadn't met personally yet.

"Who might you be?" He questioned curiously. He closed the book in his hand with a snap and tucked it carefully in his pouch. Ryoka didn't answer. Did he plan on fighting her? Konoha and Suna were allies, so perhaps he would understand about Gaara? Then again, would Konoha take advantage of Suna's missing Kazekage to attack? Ryoka dismissed the notion. Tsunade was the Hokage. Fearsome as she was, she wouldn't take advantage of another Hidden Village to attack.

Ryoka's expression darkened as the man in front of her stood, squinting to make out the symbol on her forehead protector. He crossed his arms casually over his chest.

"Village of the Shadows, huh? It's been years since I've been to Kagegakure."

Ryoka blinked. He knew about her village. That was rare. Kagegakure wasn't even drawn on most maps, especially since it didn't exist anymore.

"Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi are heading southeast in pursuit of the Kazekage, and I presume Suna's shinobi will follow soon after, hm." He nodded to himself, his expression relaxing when he saw Ryoka's features change from suspicious to having a sense of urgency.

"So you are the additional shinobi on Suna's team during the Chuunin exams. I guessed as much." He smiled, revealing his teeth.

"Good luck, then, and get a move on." He gave her a casual thumbs up and she nodded. She would've thanked him before, but considering the situation, a general nod in his direction was all she could muster. It was difficult to feel grateful for anything when she was hurting this bad. Physical pain was nothing compared to the sharp, heartbreaking ache she felt now. She took off in the direction he had indicated, speeding up until he was sprinting through the trees as fast as she could.

_You are being reckless,_ Natsuko scolded her.

_Shut up, Nana-bi, _she snarled, ducking under a branch and regaining her footing.

He snapped his teeth.

_You're just a child. Mind how you speak_, he growled.

_Stop talking_! She demanded, and Natsuko paused, having heard the almost untraceable note of pain in her voice. He closed his eyes, resting his head on his paws.

_Don't overdo it, brat_, he warned quietly. _Save your energy for saving him. _

The words were cold, but the concern was genuine. Ryoka grit her teeth, pushing back the hysteria rising in her chest. He couldn't die yet, not until she told him...

Her eyes snapped open as a branch whipped out of nowhere, smacking her in the face and making her stumble. She grabbed the branch she was standing on with her hands to avoid plummeting to the ground below. She gingerly touched her bleeding cheek. Natsuko snorted.

_You deserved that. _

She didn't answer, but instead climbed back up and resumed tracing, going at a more reasonable pace.

They're ahead, she realized suddenly. She could sense four people ahead of her, three easily identifiable as Sakura, Naruto, and Kakashi. She sensed another team nearby, but they seemed to be split off from the main group. They were still far ahead of her. She wouldn't catch up until the middle of the night.

_You should rest, brat, _Natsuko muttered sleepily.

_I can't sleep,_ she returned.

_You_ don't _sleep_, he corrected.

_Even if you don't attack me anymore, my memories hurt when I close my eyes. _

Natsuko growled deep in his throat.

_Since when are you afraid of pain? It made sense when you lost everyone dear to you. You had nothing good to focus on. Now you have good memories too, don't you? It's your choice whether you want to think about those you can't save or those that you can. Think of the people that accepted you, and all of the good you have done. You became a legend and you're still a teenager. The brat I know wouldn't be making flimsy excuses and being reckless and rude like you are now. Get ahold of yourself and stop acting like you're too weak to handle a bit of pain_.

Her eyes widened slightly.

Ryoka had been called a lot of things by people, usually her enemies, ranging from merciless to arrogant, but not once in her life had she been called weak. At least, not until now. Not directly like this. She was silent for a long time, but she slowed to a standstill, leaning against a tree heavily. She had over exerted herself in her rush of adrenaline. He was right; she was acting reckless and idiotic.

_Natsuko, do you think I can really save him? _She asked softly, feeling again the painful fear of losing someone in her heart. He was silent for a while before he opened one eye.

_Baka. How should I know something like that?_ He yawned, revealing razor sharp teeth.

_I've yet to see anything you can't do, though,_ he grumbled. Ryoka's eyes filled with determination.

"Arigato, Natsuko," she said quietly, her lips parting in a small smile, revealing her sharpened canines. She wasn't prepared to sleep, but she could rest in meditation for a while. That would be a start.

Ryoka's trance broke at noon the next day. She looked at the sun high in the sky and her eyes widened. How long had she rested?! She carefully focused. Naruto and the others were still ahead, but she would be able to catch up. Hopefully she wouldn't be too late. She quickly stood and stretched, warming up a bit before leaving. No sense in being stiff before a fight, and she had a feeling there would be much fighting in her near future. She leapt up and grabbed a low hanging branch, swinging herself up gracefully and pushing off the rough bark with her feet, carefully watching her surroundings.

It didn't take long. She arrived at a huge cavern in a couple of hours, the entrance having been blown apart, most likely by force. Ryoka sensed Shukaku's chakra immediately, but Gaara's was strangely absent. Heart pounding, she glanced inside to see mechanical parts flying. Sakura and an old woman were fighting a puppet like being that bore a striking resemblance to the Kazekage himself. As she watched, Sakura and the old woman worked together to deliver the final blow, with two parental type puppets attacking him. For an instant it seemed the red haired puppet considered allowing the hit, but at the last moment he guarded himself, shattering the puppets.

"You can not win," he said in a low voice. "You can not win against Sasori the puppet master. And even if you could defeat me, what then?" His head swiveled around radically, eyes rolling until they stopped suddenly, staring directly at an exhausted Sakura and the equally worn out woman.

"We have killed your Kazekage. It is wasteful to try and retrieve an empty shell."

Fury surged through Ryoka, her anger so great that even Natsuko stirred, his excitement peaking slightly.

Her heart hardened like ice. The man before her had killed Gaara. _Killed_ him. Pushing aside the denial in her heart, she vanished, appearing in front of Sasori in an instant. His eyes barely had time to widen before she closed her fingers into a blade and shoved her hand through his chest, piercing his non mechanical heart, a snarl escaping her lips.

"Die," she hissed, surrounding her hand with dark chakra. The black flames licked the organ, and Sasori's eyes barely had time to widen before his entire body disintegrated with a sharp explosion. Ryoka's eyes darkened to black.

She turned to Sakura, whose eyes were wide, her mouth hanging open slightly.

"Gaara," Ryoka growled. The pink haired kunoichi wordlessly glanced out of the cavern, down a deep set path. Ryoka tore her hand out of the organ, blood spraying, and clenched her fingers into a fist, slowly walking out of the cave. The Akatsuki would die. Every single one of them.


	32. 32 Meeting Again

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! I'm so so so incredibly sorry I haven't been updating. For some reason my phone has been locking me out of my account and I can only access this page via computer...? If you guys know what's up with that, please help me out... But anyways, I hope you like this chapter and please review!**

Ryoka didn't have to hurry. She could sense them ahead. The bright chakra of Naruto, the hidden pulse of chakra from Kakashi, and the darker chakra of the other Akatsuki. The blonde one that had killed Gaara. Blood dripped from her fingers. One dead. It was the first time she had killed, but she felt no remorse. The Akatsuki had killed countless numbers. She was doing those people favors. She leapt lightly onto a thick root that passed through both sides of the path, thicker around than her waist. They weren't too far ahead. Maybe a mile or two. They wouldn't get away.

Perhaps a minute later, she had caught up. She glanced at Naruto, eyes narrowing at the bubbly orange chakra seeping from his skin. He was unlucky. Having the Kyuubi of hate, he would have a much more difficult time befriending or even understanding his tailed beast. Kurama, she recalled. That was the name of the nine tails. She glanced at Kakashi, who was watching her with an unreadable expression.

"Explosives," he said, nodding to the giant white bird ahead of them. Ryoka turned her piercing glare to the blonde Akatsuki member and her heart plummeted. Gaara was wrapped in the tail, eyes closed, sand armor crumbling from his face and body. His hand was closed in a fist around something she couldn't make out. Suddenly a spider appeared out of nowhere, landing on her arm. Kakashi shouted a warning, but there was a sharp command and the spider detonated, exploding right above her elbow. Mind numbing pain tore through her upper arm and she stumbled, rolling neatly on the ground and jumping back into formation to keep chase, even as blood poured freely from the injury. Right. Explosives. She tore the fabric around her waist and quickly tied it off around her arm, pulling the knot tight with her teeth. Her gaze shifted to the blonde. Naruto growled deep in his throat from his place next to her. He would attack recklessly. That was easy to see. She watched the bird with cold, calculating eyes. First she had to separate the man from Gaara. Then Naruto would surely attack, and she would have to make sure he didn't die. Afterwords she would go to Gaara. Her eyes ran over his smooth, expression, looking for the nonexistent signs of life. Both of the Akatsuki's arms had been severed, one from Gaara, the other from Kakashi. She studied Kakashi carefully. His usually hidden eye showed the three pointed star of Mangekyo Sharingan. He was going to try again. Knowing what to do, she vanished out of the deep set path and into the forest. She heard the Akatsuki member swear as Mangekyo activated. Ryoka stopped high up in a tree, watching and waiting for her moment to come. The Sharingan missed, but had succeeded in throwing off their opponent. Naruto crashed through the trees with a clone, a ball of chakra forming in their hands.

"Rasengan!" He shouted angrily, thrusting the ball of energy at him. Deidara jumped out of the way, barely clearing the range of Naruto's attack, his eyes widening slightly. The bird was torn to pieces, and Ryoka sent a clone to catch it, along with Naruto. Deidara fell from the sky, landing a few yards away from her on a tree branch. She watched him with cold, merciless eyes. He hadn't realized her presence yet. That would be his fatal mistake.

Kage no Jutsu, she thought slowly. Her eyes darkened and her teeth sharpened slightly as the temperature suddenly dropped several degrees.

"What is this? hm," The blonde Akatsuki murmured curiously to himself as the sky darkened. Ryoka's gaze shifted to Naruto and her shadow clone, who had broken through the shell of the bird. Naruto's scream of fury and pain gave her more than enough answer for what she had dreaded. Gaara was dead.

She vanished and appeared behind the clay user, grabbing him around the neck and throwing him violently against the ground with so much force that cracks appeared in the soft earth upon the impact. A shudder ran through the ground. Deidara coughed, blood flying from his mouth, and his eyes barely had time to widen before she pinned him to the ground, one knee digging into his stomach, her other hand slowly but surely tightening around his neck. Natsuko growled in pleasure, reacting naturally to her emotions.

"Who... Are you?" The blonde managed to choke out.

"Die," she snarled, raising her hand. Clouds gathered as a dark ball of swirling energy flickered in her hand, small slivers of lightning flying up her arm. She drove the energy into the ground, and he rolled out of the way, missing the direct impact by less than a foot. The resulting explosion was colossal. Thunder echoed in the clouds that had gathered, and angry flashes of lightning lit up the sky. Rocks were torn from the earth as a massive crater formed where she had hit the ground. Ryoka's lips pulled back into an angry snarl. She had missed. He wouldn't be able to dodge the next one. She closed her eyes and formed a seal, kneeling on the ground. A tremor ran through the ground as she found his chakra. He was hiding. Not that it would save him. She seized his mind immediately, and a sudden flow of information transferred through to her. Every thought, idea, and feeling he was having flowed into her mind, but she shoved that information aside. She didn't care what he was thinking. She didn't give a damn about his ideas. She just felt fury. A raging, insane fury that overwhelmed her senses. She wanted this man to feel pain. A pain as deep as the pain she had suffered. And he would.

A moment later, Deidara started screaming.

Kakashi was tired as he caught up to Naruto, Gaara, and Ryoka. He watched Naruto in sympathy as he held his friend, his eyes narrowing as Ryoka's clone vanished in a puff of smoke. Where was the real ninja? He quickly left. It wasn't difficult to locate her. He simply followed the source of the battle like explosions that were repeatedly occurring nearby. He wasn't disappointed. Sure enough, she was standing in a large crater, eyes staring coldly down at Deidara. Kakashi's eyes widened. Deidara was clutching his head, eyes closed, writhing on the ground in pure agony, his screams echoing through the forest as Ryoka stared down at him with rage in her eyes.

"Ryoka-San! That's enough!" Kakashi ordered quickly. Ryoka paused at the sound of his voice, her gaze shifting slowly to Kakashi. Deidara stopped screaming and lay curled up on the ground, gasping. Kakashi met Ryoka's eyes and frowned at what he saw. Such a deep, sad pain was scarred into her eyes, hidden behind layer upon layer of pure undiluted hatred. She turned to Deidara and opened her hand. Black and white flames licked up her arm, forming the blurry shape of a kunai made completely of energy. She grabbed Deidara by the collar, lifting him off the ground with one hand.

"I'll put you out of your misery," she hissed. She swung the kunai towards him and Kakashi raised a hand to stop her, knowing there was no way he would get there on time. A dark shape blurred past him and he turned, dodging out of instinct.

Strong arms wrapped around Ryoka, dragging her back. She slashed down with the kunai, but he restrained the movement by grabbing her wrist, forcing her to drop it. It swirled into nothing once it left her hand, disappearing before it touched the ground.

"Ryoka-sama! Stop! That's enough!"

"He killed him!" Ryoka screamed, straining against his arms. Satoru tightened his hold on her as she tried to get away. He was bigger than she was now, even if she was more powerful.

"You will have your chance to kill him, but now isn't the time!" Satoru yelled, trying to get her to listen.

"He killed him! SATORU LET GO OF ME!"

The crazy anger and pain that was suddenly revealed in her expression surprised him so much that his grip loosened for an instant. She whirled around and shoved him away, forming a ball of dark energy and slamming it into a smug looking Deidara. There was a rumble that shook the ground. A blinding light expanded from her hand, tearing up the ground into jagged pieces. A deafening roar filled the air as trees toppled around them, clearing out the area. Satoru was thrown backwards, as was Kakashi. Once the dust finally cleared, Satoru shoved a branch off of him and tiredly got to his feet, bright green eyes automatically scanning the new crater for Ryoka. He spotted her immediately, standing over the limp form of Deidara. She was shaking. He carefully approached her. He had never seen her angry like this. Angry Ryoka was probably the most frightening thing he had ever seen in his life. As he cautiously walked toward her, he noticed pieces of Deidara's body crumbling into clay. Ryoka had a piece of the clay in her hand. Her teeth were clenched, eyes shining with rage. It had been a clone. Her hand clenched into a fist, crumbling the clay into dust.

Her gaze shot to the forest, sensing someone, undoubtedly Deidara. Satoru had to stop her before she got herself killed. He caught her arm as she was turning to leave and she slapped his hand away.

He didn't let go.

"Ryoka-sama, please.." He pleaded softly. "That's enough of hurting people." Ryoka tried to jerk away.

Naruto arrived soon with Temari and Kankuro.

"Let go of me, Satoru!" Ryoka snarled.

"I can't," he replied, regret in his voice. "I can't let you get hurt, Ryoka-sama."

"He killed him!" she screamed, violently ripping her arm away from him.

"Killed him!" Sparkling tears flew from her eyes. Her mouth parted slightly as Satoru wrapped his arms around her, trying to comfort and restrain his sensei at the same time.

"LET GO OF ME!"

Kakashi appeared next to them immediately, shooting concerned glances at Temari and Kankuro, who were watching their teammate in shock. They had never seen Ryoka express her pain. Not once. Nobody had, except for Gaara.

"Ryoka-San, please calm down, there's a chance we can save-"

"You don't know what you're talking about!" Ryoka shouted, practically in hysterics. She pushed Satoru off her and he let go, relieved that a Jounin was there. Her eyes were red, her face streaked with angry tears.

"He's dead, Kakashi! Dead! He just became Kazekage! They killed him!"

Her voice lowered dangerously.

"And I will hunt down and kill. Every. Single. One of them." Her voice was trembling, whether from anger or pain it was impossible to tell.

Kakashi's eyes narrowed.

"I understand you are upset, Ryoka-San, and I know you are in pain, but there are more pressing things to be concerned about right now. I need you to take Gaara to Sakura, make sure nothing can be done. They should be on their way here." Kakashi's tone was clipped and official, but there was a trace of genuine kindness behind the formality. He was allowing her to say goodbye alone. Ryoka just shook her head, walking past Kakashi to where Gaara was, being supported by two of Naruto's clones. She overheard Temari asking Kakashi what had happened, but she was too drained to care. When Naruto's clone saw her, he gave a nod and vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving her with the Kazekage. Ryoka gently touched his face, fingers brushing away a red lock of hair. A tear ran down her cheek, followed quickly by another.

"G-Gaara," she called quietly, touching his shoulder. He didn't stir.

"Gaara-sama," she called again, softer this time. His eyes remained closed. Her hands flew to her mouth, trying to stop the sob that wracked violently through her chest. He didn't deserve this. Her eyes closed in a silent cry of pain. What was the last thing she had said to him? Her stomach convulsed as she remembered. She had pushed him away. She had snapped at him and refused to explain anything. She took his arm gently and wrapped it around her shoulder, trying to struggle to her feet. He hadn't gotten any lighter, but she had gotten stronger. She used her bloody sleeve to wipe the tears from her face, but they just kept coming. Giving up after a moment, she wrapped her arm around his waist and let his body lean over her back. His head fell on her shoulder, his hair brushing her cheek. It ached so badly. All her anger and fight was gone, replaced by the pure pain and agony of losing the only one she'd had left to love. There was a hollow, empty feeling in her chest. He had promised he wouldn't abandon her. He had promised. She jumped to a branch, carrying him determinedly to the location she sensed Sakura's chakra at. She faltered twice, almost losing her balance, but pushed on, adrenaline helping her move forward. She bit down on her lip to stop the hysteria rising in her chest. She finally landed heavily on the ground, a few yards from the pink haired kunoichi. Sakura rushed over as soon as she saw Gaara. Ryoka gasped, falling to her knees. Sakura tried to help her but she shook her head, motioning towards Gaara. He came first. The pink haired shinobi reluctantly kneeled next to Gaara and a warm green glow appeared around her hands. A dull hopeless ache grew in Ryoka's heart. On all fours, she laid in the grass next to him, still breathing heavily. Her arm was bleeding from the explosion, and numerous injuries from the explosions were spread around her body. Burns, cuts, scratches... Of course, it meant nothing to her. If she was going to die, at least it would be at Gaara's side. Fate sure had been cruel to her. It was cruel enough that she knew she wouldn't have the satisfaction of dying. Her injuries weren't that severe. Fate was going to force her to live. She closed her eyes, small gasps still coming from her lips. It had happened again. She returned to Gaara, the one she loved, and he was killed. Perhaps it was a curse. She had hoped, because he was so strong, that he could be protected. Apparently she had been wrong. Ryoka closed her eyes, more tears leaving her eyes and falling to the grass. Sakura worked quietly, and she Ryoka sensed several people coming near. She would stay by Gaara's side this time, she decided. No more running away.

**Last Minute Author's Note: I probably won't be updating every other day as usual until I figure out why my cellular device is going through a mental breakdown, so please bear with me until then... Thanks!**


	33. 33 Revival of the Jinchuriki Host

**Hey everyone... I'm kind of in a frazzled state of mind right now... I did finally figure out how to get my phone working, (had to do with cookies) but unfortunately I just recently acquired a new phone which excellent for me, but slightly less exciting for you guys since now I have to figure out how to do things via that one... Point being, I have not stopped writing but I am having troubles with uploading, so please bear with me! Sorry:/ enough about my problems, here's the real chapter 33, I hope you enjoy it!**

Ryoka woke up to Sakura leaning over her, the kunoichi's hands emanating a familiar green glow. She sighed in relief when she saw Ryoka's eyes open. "Nadeshiko-San, you stopped breathing, we weren't sure if you were going to make it."  
"G-Gaara...?"Sakura's eyes lowered.  
"I'm sorry," she said hollowly. "I couldn't save him."  
Ryoka forced herself to a sitting position, ignoring Sakura's protests, and shakily got to her feet. Naruto was standing next to Gaara, his shoulders shaking.  
"Why is it always Gaara?" He choked, his hands clenching at his sides. "Why did he have to die like this?!"  
Ryoka walked past Kakashi and Gai, pausing as she watched Gaara's still frame, lying in the grass. Naruto walked slowly towards Gaara's body, still trembling.  
"He's Kazekage... He just became Kazekage!" A tear ran down his cheek. Ryoka calmed herself down, carefully making sure she didn't give away any emotion.  
"Calm down, Uzumaki Naruto," Granny Chiyo said quietly, watching the scene with downcast eyes. Naruto whirled around angrily. "Shut up!" Sparkling tears flew from his eyes. "This wouldn't have happened if you Sand Shinobi hadn't put a monster in Gaara!" His voice broke, his tears falling to the grass. "Did you even ask Gaara at all how he felt?" He asked hollowly. "Jinchuriki, my ass. You have no right to act so self-important by labeling us with that word you created!"Ryoka glanced at the old woman. Naruto was right in that respect. What right did anyone have to label them jinchuriki?  
"Naruto," she said quietly. "Calm down.""And you!" He shouted, glaring at her. "Don't tell me to calm down! What would you know about being a jinchuriki?!""Naruto-!" Kakashi began, but Ryoka shot him a look, silencing him. Naruto walked up to her, quickly closing the distance between them. She didn't take a step back, but met his eyes calmly. "What would you know about Gaara's pain?! Gaara was always alone! Everybody hated him!"Ryoka blinked in surprise.  
"Naruto-"  
"Everyone was afraid of him! You're no exception!"A tear danced down her cheek before she could stop it, and Naruto blinked, surprised at her brief display of emotion. She hastily wiped it away. "I never feared him," she said in a low voice. "Not once." Her eyes snapped to the side as Granny Chiyo suddenly took a step forward. Naruto put his head in his hands. "I can't save Sasuke... And I can't save Gaara... Nothing's changed in these three years!"  
Ryoka gently laid a hand on his shoulder and he looked up in surprise, tears still running down his cheeks. "Calm down, Naruto," she repeated softly, but it was gentler this time. He watched in confusion as she walked over to Granny Chiyo, who had kneeled by Gaara, her hands surrounded with a weak blue light. "Reanimation Jutsu requires a lot of chakra," Ryoka quietly said, only loud enough for the old woman to hear.  
"I am surprised you know of it, moon child." Granny Chiyo's voice was strained. Ryoka offered her hands to the woman, but she shook her head. "The only chakra that can be added at this point would be a compatible chakra, in other words the chakra of a jinchuriki. You, however, are not-"  
"I am," she whispered softly. Granny Chiyo looked up in surprise. "Nani?!"  
"I am the jinchuriki of the seven tails." Her voice was barely audible.  
"That's impossible... The seven tails is Chomei, the insect beast, with a host named Fuu!" Chiyo protested.  
"A well played disguise put in place long ago," Ryoka corrected softly. She placed her hands on top of the woman's. "Please," she begged, eyes pleading. "I know the risk of doing this."Granny Chiyo stared at her for a long time.  
"Naruto accused you of not knowing the pain of being a jinchuriki... Of not knowing this boy's pain... But you know more than anyone, don't you?"  
There was a pause.  
"Hai," she finally answered. Suddenly there was a small burst of light, and Ryoka felt energy drain from her in huge quantities, leaving her hands cold and making her shake slightly. She hadn't come close to recovering the chakra she had lost while killing Sasori and fighting Deidara, but sheer willpower kept her conscious. Her breath grew shallow, her forehead glistening with sweat. She pressed her hands against Gaara's chest, trying to give every last bit of chakra she could. It wasn't long before the bright blue of her normal chakra transformed into fiery black chakra. Natsuko didn't say anything, but allowed the chakra to be transferred willingly, despite his dislike of Shukaku. She thanked him silently, feeling her heart rate begin to slow. Her lips twitched upward in a smile as his eyes moved from beneath his dark lids. He would be able to hear her.  
"I'm sorry, Gaara-sama," she said softly. "If I make it through this I won't leave your side again."  
Her vision began to blur and she felt Naruto stand next to her, his eyes wide. He opened his mouth to speak."Ryoka-chan, I'm sor- Ryoka-chan!" She fell forward, her head resting against Gaara's chest, closing her eyes even as the last wisps of chakra drained from her fingertips. She smiled as her vision swirled into darkness.

**Last Minute Author's Note: I've decided to post the link to the video I've been making at the end of the last chapter so that my drawings don't give away spoilers, so that's the update for that, and I should have updating figured out soon. Thanks for all the positive feed back and please review!**


	34. 34 Reunion

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! I am officially back, and do not plan on going on hiatus, for those of you who were wondering. I simply had to find an alternative way to update and I have succeeded, so I'm sure you guys are just as excited as I am. Also this chapter took a super long time to write, since I wanted it to be just right, and I still don't know if it's exactly what I wanted, but I hope yall enjoy it. Thank you for being patient, and look forward to another update soon!**

Gaara watched the barren landscape with blank, empty eyes. A hunched, small figure caught his attention. Who is that? He wondered. The lonesome figure was crying. Gaara recognized the shock of red hair, the ever present gourd, the black rimmed teal eyes.

Oh, so it's me, he concluded quietly to himself. Then whose hand was this? He twitched his fingers, staring at his hand blankly. I see. So it is my hand as well. His gaze returned to the cracked emptiness of the desert and he slowly turned in a circle, taking in his surroundings. Am I alone again? He wondered briefly. He watched the smaller, younger version of himself. Was he fading away? He felt like he was slipping from this strange, empty place. Was he forgetting something? Someone? Hadn't he always been alone? No, there was someone, someone important. A girl? Had he made a promise? Perhaps it was too late.

_I'm sorry, Gaara-sama… If I make it through this I won't leave your side again. _

That voice. So familiar… Who was it? Why couldn't he respond? It was as if her very consciousness was slipping away. No. He couldn't disappear yet. He had to find the one that voice belonged to, fulfill a promise… His surroundings were steadily darkening to blackness, the younger version of himself vanishing in the wind, like the sand on a windy morning. Stop this, he thought, slightly panicked. I can't disappear yet.

Suddenly a hand appeared on his shoulder. Surprised, but not quite upset at the gesture, Gaara turned his head to see a familiar face smiling down at him.

"Gaara," the voice was trembling slightly, as if choking back tears. The name automatically sprung to his lips.

"Naruto…?"

When Gaara opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Naruto's face smiling gently down at him. The boy laughed, but it sounded forced.

"What did you think you were doing, putting us through all that trouble?" Naruto's voice was trembling.

"Nadeshiko…?" Naruto's smile wavered, his eyes moving down to Gaara's lap. The Kazekage followed his gaze, propping himself up on one arm. Ryoka's eyes were closed, her head resting on his chest, her arms loosely folded in her lap. He gently touched her cheek, brushing a strand of hair from her face, and her head fell forward. Gaara immediately shifted his weight so she wouldn't fall.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice slightly panicked. "Why is she like this?"

"We think she's still alive, Gaara, but-"

"You think?" Gaara's voice bordered on dangerous. Sakura ran forward, her hands immediately checking for a pulse.

"She isn't breathing," Sakura said in a clipped, official tone. "But her heart hasn't given out yet."

"Can you save her?" Gaara asked softly, feeling his eyes darken slightly. If Nadeshiko died saving him…

"Hai. I think I can," Sakura replied firmly.

"Gaara," Naruto began, but then he stopped for a moment before finally continuing. "Ryoka-chan left you, so… why are you…?" The jinchuriki trailed off, not sure how to say what he meant to ask. Gaara seemed to understand anyways.

"It wasn't her fault," he replied, meeting Naruto's eyes.

"But-"

"It wasn't her fault."

Naruto stopped speaking, instead just watching his friend with worried eyes. Suddenly Ryoka gasped, her eyes still closed as Sakura's hands glowed a fierce green. Gaara's fingers gently took her hand, watching without expression as her eyes shifted beneath her closed lids.

"G- Gaara," she choked out, her chest rising and falling rapidly with exhaustion. Gaara's expression softened.

"Here," he said in a low voice, in a tone so gentle it made Sakura feel like she shouldn't have heard it, though it was inevitable. It made her feel like they deserved their privacy, but that was impossible. She was the only thing keeping this mysterious girl alive. She willed Ryoka's heartbeat to remain steady. After about a minute, the small girl's eyes opened slightly, revealing bright gold irises.

"What happened?" Gaara asked her, his eyes narrowing with worry. "Who did this to you?"

"You did," Kakashi answered quietly, standing a few meters away.  
"Me?" the Kazekage questioned softly. Some of the alertness returned to Ryoka's eyes.

"Gaara," she insisted softly. She turned her head upward to meet his eyes and then suddenly wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close. Taken by surprise, it was a moment before he returned the embrace. She was shaking, whether in pain or joy he couldn't tell, but she was grateful, because as long as she was hugging him like this he wouldn't see the silent tears of relief that danced down her cheek, one after the other. Though she would likely never admit it, she had been so, so scared of losing him. She had never experienced a fear like that. She pulled away just long enough to smile at him, ignoring Sakura's frantic attempts to make her lie down again.

"Everyone came to save you, Gaara-kun," Kakashi told the Kazekage, his one visible eye smiling down at them. Ryoka unsteadily pushed herself to her feet, and Sakura caught her as she swayed.

"Come lie down," the kunoichi insisted, gently pulling the exhausted jinchuriki to the side. Gaara stared at all of the people that had gathered, in awe of the enormous crowd celebrating his return.

"We all worked together," Naruto continued, offering the Kazekage a hand. He took it, standing a bit unsteadily.

"Kakashi-sensei and I went after you while Sakura-chan and Granny Chiyo took on a different member of the Akatsuki. Then Ryoka-chan showed up and she was really angry."

Naruto paled slightly. "It was scary. She had blood on one arm from killing the other Akatsuki and looked ready to kill the one that had you, too. She almost got Deidara, but some boy held her back so he made a clone. Ryoka-chan killed the clone, and she was…" Naruto paused with a shudder. Gaara glanced at him, concerned. It wasn't like Naruto to be afraid, but then again, it wasn't like Ryoka to get angry.

"Well anyways, Granny Chiyo started an impressive jutsu to save you, but didn't have enough chakra, so Ryoka-chan helped."

"What kind of jutsu?" Gaara questioned sharply, turning to meet Naruto's eyes.

"What was it called?" Naruto scratched his head, trying to remember.

"Revive, no, reiterate, no that wasn't it…"

"Reanimation Jutsu?" Gaara guessed.  
Naruto's expression brightened. "Yup that's the one! Ne, Gaara, have you heard of it?"

"Ah," he replied darkly. "I've heard of it." He was going to have a very serious conversation to Ryoka about it, too. It could have very easily been her that lost her life rather than Granny Chiyo.

A sudden roar of cheering brought Gaara out of his thoughts and to the present. Konoha and Suna shinobi alike were laughing and cheering at the sight of the Kazekage on his feet.

"They all came for you," Naruto told him happily, his usual smile adorning his features.

"Kazekage-sama!"

"Kazekage-sama!"

"Thank goodness!"

"He's alright!"

Gaara watched in shock, his eyes widening. He had never received the acceptance of his village. It felt… good. He felt a strong sense of accomplishment resonating within him. He felt his lips twitch upward as the crowd celebrated. Now he just needed to find Ryoka. Matsuri and a young woman he didn't recognize squealed his name, leaping towards him in excitement, but Temari intercepted them easily, smugly holding them back from the Kazekage. He scanned the crowd, looking for familiar gold eyes, or even Sakura, because the medical ninja was undoubtedly tending to her. His search was unsuccessful. Had she really been in critical condition? He almost questioned Shukaku, before remembering the monster was gone. It was strange. All he had wanted before was the one tail to vanish, but he felt strangely empty with its sudden absence. It was strange. He found Kakashi in the crowd, asking silently where she was. Kakashi seemed to be familiar with her, though how he had no idea. The Jounin nodded towards his left, eyes briefly glancing towards a small area outside of the crowd that Gaara had not noticed. Sakura was there, her hands surrounded with a tired looking glow, over a familiarly small figure lying in the grass. Gaara vanished in a swirl of sand before anyone could stop him. He appeared by Ryoka's side in an instant. Her eyes were closed again, but her breathing was more even.

"She's stable now," Sakura told him before he could ask. "She used too much chakra, and lost quite a bit of blood, but somehow she managed to hold out."

Sakura wiped her forehead with her hand, leaning back with a sigh.

"Ne, Kazekage-sama, if you don't mind me asking, what exactly is your relationship with Nadeshiko-san?"

Gaara met her eyes. She was pretty brave, he decided.

"We are close," he said quietly. Sakura was smart enough not to press for details.

"She was truly worried about you," the kunoichi said with a sad smile.

"I've never seen Nadeshiko-san like that… you've certainly changed her, Kazekage-sama."

"How so?"

"Well in school she never spoke. Not once. Every day up to the Chuunin Exams, at least as long as I knew her, she never said a word. Some of the kids used to tease her and trick her into talking, but she just ignored them."

"I see."

"I wonder if she-"

"Haruno-san," a quiet voice interrupted her.

"You're awake!" Sakura exclaimed, glancing quickly at Ryoka. "How do you feel?" Ryoka didn't respond, but she didn't try to stand, which told Gaara exactly how she felt. She was hurting.

"Haruno-san, thank you for all you have done, but would you mind leaving me with Nadeshiko for a moment?" Sakura nodded politely and went to help with others that needed their injuries tended to.

"Ga-"

"Nadeshiko, what were you thinking?" Gaara demanded coldly. Her gold eyes stared back at him calmly.

"From what I've heard you came all the way from who knows where and risk your life to save me? Why bother? Why bother helping me when you've been gone for half a year?"

He was angry. She could hear it in his voice. She smiled gently at him, which threw him slightly off guard. That expression… made his heart beat much faster than it should.

"It was worth it," she said with a soft smile. Her voice was weaker than he had expected. He had never seen her so vulnerable before.  
"Why would you risk using Reanimation Jutsu? You know as well as I do, that when you help the chances of you dying rather than the caster are equal," he insisted angrily. "I don't want you to risk yourself for me. I am the Kazekage, and I can protect myself. Do you know how close to dying you ca-?" he broke off as Ryoka touched his face with her hand.

"I'm not leaving your side again, Gaara-sama," she murmured softly. "I promised." Gaara paused.

"Hai," he agreed finally, reluctantly. He closed his eyes, leaning into her hand.

"I missed you," he admitted with a quiet sigh.

**Last Minute Author's Note: I'm going to see how this goes down, I'm not sure if I love this chapter yet, since I wanted the reunion to be a crucial moment, but first I'll just see if you guys liked it. Yall's opinions really help me with my writing, and I really appreciate it. Thanks and please review! **


	35. 35 A New Familly

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! Here's the next chapter, I hope you like it, since I had a fun time writing it, and it's basically my ultimate fear that one of these days I'll write a chapter and it will be genuinely terrible (April Fools doesn't count xD) so thanks for all of the positiveness so far; it makes me really happy that you guys enjoy my story. Anyways, enough of my touchy feely thoughts, and by all means leave a review (: Oh and no cliffhanger this time! **

Ryoka's cheeks were flaming, bordering on a dangerous shade of red. After allowing the crowd to settle down some, Gaara had requested everyone to pray for granny Chiyo, who had valiantly died the death of a true shinobi, and funeral arrangements were being made, allowing them a brief rest before they set off for Suna. Gaara had taken it upon himself to be responsible for Ryoka, which included moving her to the hospital tent. Unable to stand on her own, he was carrying her, one arm under her knees, the other holding her torso up. She had protested several times, blushing furiously as stares were sent her direction, but he ignored her, calmly and emotionlessly carrying her to the tent as if it was the most natural and logical thing to do. His eyes narrowed in concern when she stopped fighting it, knowing that she must be bordering on exhaustion if she was unable to speak. He sped up by vanishing in a swirl of sand, taking her with him and appearing directly outside of the medical tent. He entered, much to the nurses' dismay, and calmly set Ryoka on her feet, keeping an arm around her waist so she could stand.

"Kazekage-sama! You are not yet strong enough to be walking around! Please, take a seat-"

"I'm fine," he dismissed the nurse quietly, silencing her instantly. She bit back her words, replying instead with a respectful bow.

"Of course, sir."

"You need rest," he told Ryoka calmly. She agreed, albeit reluctantly, and eased onto one of the beds. She didn't sleep, but she closed her eyes, trying to even out her breathing to go into a stance of meditation. He watched her for a moment, noticing how much she had changed. Sensing it was her time to leave, the nurse hastily mumbled an excuse before exiting the tent to leave them alone.

Gaara slid to the ground, putting his head in his hands.

"Kakashi told me what happened," he said quietly, his voice calm but sounding slightly hollow. "That you killed the Akatsuki and almost died afterwards."

He received no response, but hadn't expected one.

"Why did you leave?" his voice slipped slightly, revealing the tiniest trace of hurt.

Again, no response. "You left once, with just this note.." he pulled a crumpled paper from his pocket and balled his hand into a fist before dropping it to the floor.

Gaara rested his head on his arms, not knowing why it bothered him so much. Why was he upset that she had left now that she had returned? Why did it leave a horrible ache in his chest when he thought about her going off with that _boy _to defeat her tailed beast? If that was even what she had been doing.

"How am I supposed to know that you aren't going to leave again?" he growled slightly, his voice becoming rough, more like the way he had sounded when Shukaku was aroused.

He felt gentle hands touch his hair, lifting his head until he was eye to eye with bright gold.

"Shh," she whispered, leaning her head against his. "It was a mistake, Gaara-sama." Her voice broke and her eyes lowered. "I'm sorry, and I won't leave your side again. Not once."

There was a pause as both of them leaned forward a bit, faces less than an inch apart, but Gaara moved his head away slightly. They both knew it was too soon. There was still too much hurt, too much distance from being apart for so long to return to what they had been before. Ryoka wanted his trust. She wanted it more than anything, but now she had to prove it. She had to fix her error. Her eyes moved to the note on the floor. The words she had left, only half expecting him to actually find. _Wait for me. _Even though she hadn't yet decided if she was for sure returning. But she had a family now. It was about time she started acting like a part of it.

Everyone that had come to determine the fate of the Kazekage left early the next morning to return to Suna. Ryoka had completely recovered, at least in appearance, and walked around as usual, though Gaara noticed her flinch when a boy ran into her, unaware of where he was going. Gaara had to remind himself that her confidence was mostly an act. He offered to help her walk but she had politely declined, claiming that she felt much better than yesterday. He often felt her gaze on him, when he walked farther away than she was comfortable with to speak with someone or when he completed a task to prepare for departure, but he didn't mind. It felt comforting to have that careful watchfulness. He no longer felt empty without Shukaku. And he would be able to fulfill his promise to her. Though she had been the one to leave, he should have seen it coming, and tried to stop her. That was his fault. He wouldn't make that same mistake twice.

Everyone was ready considerably quickly, due to the quiet fear of being left behind by the monstrosity of a crowd attempting to return home. The Konoha nins would be accompanying them to ensure the Kazekage safe passage and to attend Granny Chiyo's funeral. They set off slightly before noon, walking at an even pace so that those who weren't ninja could keep up. Ryoka walked at Gaara's shoulder, slightly behind him, while Naruto walked with his hands behind his head, slightly ahead of the Kazekage and talking happily Sakura, oblivious to the quiet sadness surrounding her. She had been quite close to Chiyo before the elder's passing, and still seemed to be affected by the somber mood the death had inflicted.

"Ne, Ryoka-chan, are you Gaara's bodyguard?" Naruto asked suddenly, turning his head slightly to look at the quiet ninja, who hadn't uttered a word since they had left.

"No," she replied quietly, looking slightly perplexed. Naruto frowned.

"But you killed Sasori, and carried Gaara all the way to Sakura-cha- Ow! Sakura-chan, what was that for?" Naruto whined, rubbing his head where the pink haired kunoichi had hit him.

"Urusai," she said dangerously, her eyes closing as her eyebrow twitched. "Some people have complicated relationships, Naruto," she hissed. Ryoka looked at them blankly, not sure if she was missing something. Gaara didn't need body guards, especially now that Shukaku had been extracted from him, there was no reason for someone as strong as the Akatsuki to target him. What was so complicated about their relationship? It wasn't like they were-

"Talking about Ryoka and Gaara, ne?" a deeper voice suddenly interrupted from behind them.

"Kankuro-san," Sakura greeted the puppet master, whom she had recently healed from a particularly nasty battle with Sasori.

"Mhm, never thought Gaara would get himself a girlfriend," Temari replied smugly, resting a hand on her hip.

"Eh?! Girlfriend?" Naruto whirled around and glared at Gaara, walking backwards to keep up the pace.

"What of it?" Gaara replied quietly.

He stared wide eyed at Ryoka, who was basically mirroring his expression. Her mouth parted slightly in shock, her face paling. Is that what everyone thought? Is that what _Gaara _thought? She actually stopped breathing for a moment until Natsuko growled at her, annoyed, telling her to snap out of it.

"Of course," Temari scoffed at Naruto. "Gaara wouldn't just kiss someone and then act like they didn't exist."

"You _kissed _her?" Naruto yelled, loud enough for several people around them to hear.

"Ne, sensei, you never told me that story," a familiar voice said smoothly from behind her.

"Satoru," she said quietly, smoothing her expression over instantly. He smirked slightly, causing her to narrow her eyes dangerously at him. He seemed to be getting comfortable with acting friendly rather than respectful of her these days. She would have to remind him that just because he was taller didn't mean she wasn't his teacher. He needed some manners beat into him again.

Gaara didn't answer Naruto, instead just casting a sideways glance at Ryoka, a tiny smile touching his lips as she blushed furiously, looking away immediately. What was she supposed to do in this kind of situation? His eyes were amused as Naruto turned to her.

"Never thought Gaara would get a girlfriend so fast," he told her quickly. "I suppose he can do whatever he wants since he's the Kazekage, but I didn't think he ever thought about that kind of thing. Same for you, Ryoka-chan."

"Hm, I have a question about that too," Kankuro said suddenly. "Between the night of the party and the morning Ryoka left, when did you actually ask her to be your girlfriend?" he asked, directing his words towards Gaara. There was a pause, and Temari's eyes widened as the silence continued,

"You did ask her, didn't you Gaara?!" she exclaimed in horror. Ryoka wished she could just disappear. She'd rather wear another dress than go through with this conversation, and that was saying quite a bit. Why couldn't they talk about politics or alliances? Isn't that what the other political leaders discussed normally? She drew in a sharp intake of breath as pale green eyes were suddenly inches from her own. Gaara took her hand, staring intently at her.

"Nadeshiko," he said slowly, his voice quiet but still audible enough for everyone to hear. "Would you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?" He said the words slowly, to emphasize his point. He was dead serious, his tone gentle. Ryoka's eyes widened, her mouth opening, but no sound coming out. Suddenly it was very warm, and she felt slightly dizzy. After a pause, Temari and Kankuro burst out laughing, actually doubling over in their hysterics, but Gaara paid them no mind, still waiting for an answer.

"Careful, Gaara," Temari gasped, laughing so hard she could barely speak. "She looks like she might faint."

Kankuro was still clutching his side, roaring in laughter at the seriousness in which Gaara had acted. Gaara didn't appear embarrasses, but there was a barely visible trace of a blush apparent on his face. Ryoka tried to sputter out an answer, but her voice suddenly had no intention of working, so she just nodded, her head jerking slightly in assent. Gaara's eyes sparkled in amusement and she felt humiliated. Was it really necessary to formally ask her? She obviously had no experience in relationships. Naruto was laughing too, and Sakura was smiling.

"R-Ryoka," he laughed, barely able to enunciate. "Your face… when he asked you…!" Kankuro burst into another fit of laughter and Ryoka blushed an impossibly deeper shade of red.

"Urusai, Kankuro," Gaara scolded, but his eyes were still amused.

Kankuro finally regained his composure, still breathing slightly irregularly from his brief fit of laughter.

"You two…" Temari shook her head, smiling. "You think you can handle this, Ryoka?" Ryoka returned to her indifferent expression, but she was still blushing a light pink.

"Of course," she said softly in reply. Despite the awkward way she had dealt with it, she was genuinely happy. She just wanted to be with Gaara. If that meant being his girlfriend, then she would happily oblige. Even if she didn't really quite know what it meant to be in that kind of relationship, she was content. She felt at home.

**Last Minute Author's Note: Andddd that's a wrap for chapter 35! I hope you all enjoyed it, please leave a review regardless as it would make my day, and to answer a question I recently received, I do not believe I will currently be capable of updating every other day for two reasons, one being that at this point in the plot I actually didn't plan out, it was more of a 'I doubt I will actually get this far in writing anyways, so I'm just going to skim over this section' moment, so I am having a bit of difficulty in transitioning, and two I seem to suddenly have a social life, rare for me, at the current time and have found myself quite busy. ****_However, _****I shall continue to do my best to update as often as I can, and no less than once a week. Thanks again for all of the positive feedback! **


	36. 36 What It Means to be a Lover

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! I'm pretty darn proud of myself for writing this at two in the morning, since I was just kind of being lazy and thinking I wasn't going to update for a couple of days, and then I had a small epiphany and decided to go for it. Also, about the whole three year gap between the whole Kazekage thing... I know my timeline is really off, originally I planned that for when Ryoka left, but then that seemed like way too long so I made it six months and ANYWAYS... I'm considering doing that time now that she's back. We'll see. Hope you guys like this chapter and please review!**

It took about four days to return to Suna. Ryoka stayed by Gaara's side almost constantly, despite his protests that she needed to rest. She couldn't care less about her own health. She was healing at a faster pace than he was regardless, especially since Shukaku's chakra wouldn't be accelerating the healing process for him anymore.

"Gaara-sama!" a familiar voice squealed. Ryoka sighed inwardly. Not again. Matsuri and a small group of girls were trying to push their way to the front of the crowd for the sixth time that day. Temari was out getting water, and Kankuro's expression told her that he wouldn't be helping this time either. Ryoka sighed, getting to her feet and standing in front of Gaara, who remained stoic and indifferent as always. He glanced up curiously at Ryoka. The ninja faced the girls head on, glaring at them.

"Ne, ne, let us talk to Gaara-sama," Matsuri pleaded when Ryoka stood her ground.

"Let him rest," Ryoka countered quietly.

"Why?" another girl complained. "Don't we have a right to be allowed to talk to the Kazekage or something?"

Ryoka's patience was stretching thin. She had dealt with these girls twice already.

"No, you don't," she replied softly, her tone tense.

"Nani? What gives you the right to say what we can and can't do?" Matsuri took a step forward, staring Ryoka down. It didn't help that Ryoka was several inches shorter than the girls. Not that it would matter in the long run. Ryoka glared at them, her eyes narrowing dangerously. Matsuri took a hesitant step back, surprised by the change in attitude.

"The Kazekage is _tired. _I don't care if you were his student, if he wants to see you then he will take it upon himself to do so. We are all tired. This will be the last stop before Suna, so I advise you girls to rest."

"_You _aren't resting," one of the girls complained, pointing an accusing finger. "And you've been with the Kazekage ever since he woke up. Shouldn't someone else be tending him now?"

Ryoka felt like banging her head against a wall. No she wasn't resting. _Obviously. _If she could sleep she would have long ago. As for Gaara, he could take care of himself. She decided not to bother explaining the fact that they protected each other, especially since she wasn't too clear on exactly what being his girlfriend entitled her to do.

"Kazekage-sama does not need to be _tended to. _I'm doing my job in making sure he isn't bothered because Temari-san is getting supplies and Kankuro-san is too lazy to talk to all of you a third time. Please just talk to him on your own time."

There was a silence, and one of the girls opened her mouth to object, but Matsuri cut her off.

"Fine," the girl obliged. She turned and walked away, motioning for the others to follow. Ryoka sighed in relief once they were gone. Hopefully that would be the last time before they got back to Suna. Once they returned it would be up to the staff to keep them away. She wondered briefly how Gaara felt about having fans. He probably didn't give it much thought.

"Ne, Ryoka," Kankuro called from a few meters away. She walked over to him, shooting him a questioning glance.

"If you wanted to get rid of them, why didn't you just tell them that you're Gaara's girlfriend?"

"Would that have worked?" she asked quietly, confused.

"Well obviously. If they knew he belonged to you they wouldn't bother coming around here."

Ryoka froze.

"B-Belonged to me?" she questioned incredulously. Kankuro shot her a strange glance.

"Yeah, Gaara belongs to you. You belong to Gaara. Do you even know what it means to be together?" Ryoka took a half step back, stumbling. A hand caught her arm and steadied it. Ryoka turned to see Temari smiling at her.

"Of course she doesn't, Kankuro." Temari turned and leaned down to whisper in Ryoka's ear.

"Ryoka, you and Gaara are lovers. If you wanted to you could probably get rid of those girls on a moment."

There was a moment of silence.

"Ryoka?" Temari questioned. Kankuro frowned.

"Temari, I think she's gonna pass out."

"Nah, she's just a bit surprised. Come on, Nadeshiko, snap out of it."

Ryoka paled. She blinked, trying to comprehend what Temari had said. Her heart rate suddenly spiked.

"L-l-lov-…?"

"Lovers, yeah," Temari finished for her. "Didn't you know at all what you were getting into when Gaara asked you to be his girlfriend?"

No she hadn't. She'd had no idea whatsoever. Not at all. Did Gaara know that too? A warm glow rose in her chest. Was it okay to love Gaara? Her mind immediately attacked the thought. He would get killed! She couldn't get close to him. Then she realized something.

"Oh, he's already died," she thought, accidentally voicing her thoughts out loud.

"…Ryoka? What are you talking about? Are you okay?" Kankuro was looking at her like she had gone insane.

"Gaara-sama," she explained quietly. "He's already been killed once, so I can love him, right?"

She looked earnestly at Temari, waiting for an answer. Temari frowned.

"Ryoka of course you can- what does him dying have to do with it?"

Ryoka watched Temari thoughtfully, wondering if it would really be alright to love Gaara.

"Well, so far, everyone I let myself love gets killed… But Gaara-sama already died once, so do you think it's okay…?"

"Ryoka…" Kankuro and Temari were watching her with identical looks of surprise, sympathy, and worry.

"Is that why you keep leaving people who have the potential to be your friends?" Ryoka quickly turned to see Gaara standing behind her, arms crossed over his chest. His voice was toneless as usual, eyes giving away nothing. She nodded, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she remembered what Kankuro and Temari had said.

_Gaara belongs to you. You and he are lovers._

She walked past him, meeting his eyes as she did, telling him silently to come with her if he wanted. He did, following her along the sparsely vegetated trails of the mountains. Though majority of the trip to Suna was desert travel, the canyon that directly surrounded the hidden village provided several simple pathways that offered privacy and shade, two things that Ryoka rarely had the opportunity to enjoy.

"It's cooler down here," Gaara noted quietly, staring at the rough walls of the canyon.

She nodded. They were out of view from the crowd, a blessed relief from the effort of keeping up appearances. She kept walking until the obnoxiously loud babble of the crowd faded to a dull murmur. She sat by a spring, leaning against the slightly damp rock. He sat next to her, eyes watching her with an intensity that would have bothered most people.

"Has your shoulder healed?"

"Mostly," she lied. He narrowed his eyes slightly, seeing through the lie easily.

"And your other injuries?" She looked straight ahead, not meeting his eyes.

"Fine," she said softly.

"You're a terrible liar."

"I know."

There was a comfortable silence.

"Gaara-sama," she said suddenly, resting an arm on her knee. He continued watching her, waiting for her to continue.

"I…" she stopped, and then tried again. "Y-you… are going to stay, right?"

His eyes blinked slowly.

"What do you mean?"

"W-with me…" she trailed off awkwardly, knowing she sounded vulnerable and hating it. It wasn't her fault she had no idea what she was doing. He paused.

"Of course," he finally answered. "That was my promise, wasn't it?" She gave a hesitant nod.

"I just… if you left, Gaara… I- I don't think I would be okay." His lips turned up in a slight smile and her breath caught in her throat.

"You finally said my name," he said quietly, his voice sounding happier. She touched his face with her hand and he closed his eyes, leaning into her palm. She leaned forward silently, her heartbeat increasing rapidly. She steeled herself, trying to erase all her doubts, and pulled his face slightly closer to hers, gently pressing her lips against his. She felt him shiver in surprise, which nearly gave her a heart attack, but he didn't pull away.

It was strange. She had watched her village burn, been possessed by a demon, tortured, watched friends die, been forced into a dress, and failed to save someone she loved, but at that moment she felt like the luckiest person in the world.

Ryoka was afraid to open her eyes when she finally pulled away. She could tell he was watching her, and she was pretty sure he wouldn't be angry, but it was the first time she'd ever initiated anything even slightly romantic in any way. But it wasn't one of those moments where she could pretend she was asleep. When she finally met his gaze, she couldn't help but smile. His eyes seemed a lot kinder now. Of course, nothing had really changed about them, she could just read his face more accurately to the point where she could tell how he felt almost immediately whereas others could spend years guessing. She leaned against his side, smiling as he covered her hand with his.

"Will you finish your story?" he asked quietly. She sighed softly, but it really was impossible for her to refuse him.

"From Konoha?" she confirmed. He nodded. She started her story again, deciding not to hide anything. She explained how Tsunade saved her, eventually leading her to repay that debt through joining Suna's team for the protection of Konoha. She explained her life as a Wanderer, sparing most of the details of her sticky situations and how she became so skilled at fighting evasively. And once she reached the Chuunin Exams she trailed off, knowing he knew the rest.

"So she was your sister?" Ryoka flinched, confirming his guess.

"Do you know who did it?"

"I tracked them after I befriended the seven tails," she said stiffly. "It was Konoha's ANBU. They were the ones that destroyed my home, too."

"Nani? Why?" Gaara's eyes narrowed.

There was an attempt to wipe out the Uchiha clan long ago," Ryoka sighed. "Someone spread a rumor that the Uchiha clan still existed in an area near my village. Since the Hidden Villlage of Shadows was usually unmapped, it seemed the ideal place for an uprising. The navigational error lead to the entire village being destroyed. When they realized there were survivors they tracked us down.

"Why was only one of you killed?" Ryoka looked down at her hands awkwardly.

"When I became a jinchuriki, the elders were ashamed that a demon lived in the peaceful village they created. They erased all of the records that I ever existed, to the point of which according to any books, my parents had two children, my older brother and my little sister. I was almost literally nonexistent. That's why it was so easy for Tsunade to add me to your team as a part of Suna. The ANBU tracked down and killed my sister because they had a record of her. They tracked Saki too… I asked her about it, but by then they had realized their mistake and she wasn't on their target list."

"What did you do to the ANBU?" he questioned in a low voice.

Ryoka looked up at the rising canyon walls, forcing her voice to remain steady.

"I can't do anything," she said, blinking quickly. "Tsunade saved my life and Konoha is the reason I met you. I can't hold anything against them with that."

Gaara didn't say anything.

"…but if I ever find out who started the rumor of the Uchiha clan existing in my village, I will find them, and I will kill them."

Gaara nodded, resting his head on hers. He was glad to know. Now he felt like he understood her in a different way. Why she was always closed off, how she expressed herself, even how she did the things she did. It made sense. And it helped him understand why she couldn't sleep now, even after resolving her problems with her tailed beast. There was still too much pain, and perhaps even fear, to let her close her eyes. They continued talking, only a few words at a time, but it was the first time they had really talked. They eventually started speaking less, just because it was beginning to get easier to understand the other's intentions and thoughts without words. Both being more introverted, it was for the best to reach an understanding like this. Even if it confused the people around them, the mutual understanding felt comfortable and easy.

He told her a bit of his story too, something he had never done before, and she listened carefully, not speaking until he completely finished. Things seemed different now, a lot.. .closer.

When they finally began walking back to join the others, the sun was high in the sky. They were only an hour's walk from Suna, and things would start returning to how they should be.

"It's about time," Temari complained, hands on her hips. "You two were gone for hours."

Kankuro raised an eyebrow when Ryoka blushed.

"Let's go home," Gaara said.

**Last Minute Author's Note: Also, just in case you were wondering, my video of drawings of this story is coming along quite nicely, but I'm still going to wait until the end to post it... Anddd hmmm I'm wondering if you guys are going to guess who started the rumor that the Uchiha's were in Kagegakure... Well, you'll find out within the next couple of chapters, so look forward to that. Please review, because it was the anniversary of my date of birth three days yonder! :) Thanks for all the positive feedback! **


	37. 37 Peaceful Slumber

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! Here's Chapter 37! I hope you guys like it, I'm doing my best to slow down the plot, so I've added some small things before we get to the next big event... Soon we will be having the big three year transition, and I haven't yet decided whether or not to just continue adding chapters or maybe cut it off and write a sequel story... I may just make a part 2, feel free to voice your opinions if you have a preference, and please review as always!**

Suna was in celebration. White banners and hangings covered the usually barren sandy walls, and the Kazekage symbol was repeatedly shown throughout the streets. Children were playing on the dusty roads, cheerfully waving their hands in the air, white streamers clutched in their small fists. Rather than shooting each other suspicious glances and hurrying on their way, adults and families smiled at each other and occasionally began small conversation among themselves. Several Sand Shinobi were milling the streets, excitedly telling their families of how the Kazekage had successfully returned, while dealing a crushing defeat to his attackers. Near the entrance to the hidden village, Gaara, Ryoka, Temari, and Kankuro were saying their final goodbyes to the Konoha Shinobi.

"Thank you for helping us," Temari said politely, meeting each of their eyes.

"..we won't forget this." Gaara's voice was cool as usual, but there was a trace of gratefulness in his eyes.

"Ah, anytime," Naruto replied, blushing awkwardly as he scratched the back of his head. Kakashi nudged him, looking meaningfully at Ryoka. Naruto's smile faded and he shuffled his feet, meeting Ryoka's eyes.

"Ne, Ryoka-chan… I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier. It was really cool that you helped save Gaara, and I was just upset because nobody really knows what it's like to be a jinchuriki unless you are one, I didn't mean what I said…" He trailed off, and Ryoka nodded once, accepting the apology. Naruto still didn't know she was a jinchuriki, and she had asked Kakashi not to tell them. She had a feeling they would be finding out sooner or later, but for now it seemed something that would best remain a secret. She felt Gaara's eyes on her, but he didn't comment, which she was grateful for. She understood why Naruto had yelled at her, and felt the apology was unnecessary, but it was in the past, forgiven before he had tried to make amends. The blonde jinchuriki was still naïve. He had much to learn, especially at being attentive.

"W-well," Naruto began again, "I'm not very good at this kind of thing, so I guess we'll just be on our way." Gaara stepped forward, Ryoka's eyes following him carefully. He offered his hand to Naruto, his eyes the most content Ryoka had ever seen them. Naruto smiled slightly as his hand lifted from his side, guided by barely traceable particles of sand. They shook hands, pale green eyes meeting ocean blue. No words needed to be spoken.

The Konoha Shinobi turned to leave, all of them turning to run except for Kakashi, who hesitated and turned to look back at them. He tossed something to Ryoka and her hand reflexively twitched, in anticipation of catching it, but before she had a chance to, a wall of sand blocked the item. Gaara took a half step in front of her, his stance slightly protective. She put a hand on his shoulder and walked around him, her eyes meeting Kakashi's as she picked up the object from the sand. It was her mask, the one she hadn't worn for years.

Her eyes narrowed questioningly.

"Until you're done hiding," he said mysteriously, his one visible eye serious. She frowned slightly, but dusted the sand from the mask. Was he referring to her secret of being the host of the seven-tails? When she looked up, Kakashi was gone. She turned back to the others, who were watching, half amused at Gaara's protective instincts, and half curious as to what Kakashi had given her.

"Didn't you wear that during the Chuunin Exams?" Temari questioned. Ryoka nodded. She nudged Gaara, who met her eyes. They silently agreed. It was time to go home. They walked together, Temari and Kankuro close behind, back to the Kazekage's Quarters.

"Where. The. _Hell. _Have you been?!"

Ryoka met Saki's eyes calmly. The kunoichi's hands were on her hips, her eyes raging.

"Look at you! You're a mess! First you leave for six months, show up for about thirty seconds until you go crazy and follow Gaara all the way to Konoha! Now you come back like nothing's changed and you look like you can barely stand! What _happened _to you?"

Ryoka watched Saki with an unreadable expression on her face. She thought carefully. How could she summarize everything that had happened? She finally opened her mouth to speak.

"Gaara died," she said matter-of-factly. Kankuro chuckled. Saki's mouth parted slightly in a surprised 'o'.

"What?" she managed to choke out finally. She looked meaningfully at Gaara, but he remained silent.

"Someone please tell me what's going on," Saki sighed, a hand brushing the hair out of her face.

"I'll tell you," Temari offered suddenly, leading Saki away.

"I'm gonna go get some sleep," Kankuro muttered, shuffling off in his own direction.

Ryoka glanced at Gaara questioningly.

"Paperwork," he replied in answer to her silent question. She scowled, displeased. They had only just gotten back. Surely he didn't have to work so soon. It didn't really matter to her, though, she didn't mind helping or waiting, she just didn't want him to feel stressed. Not that he would ever show it.

"I can hurry," he replied to her scowl, his eyes amused. She blushed. Had her displeasure been that obvious?

"You should let yourself recover," he advised slowly, walking towards his office. She nodded, having no real intention of doing so. They stopped outside of his door, and his fingers brushed against hers before entering the office. She allowed the door to close behind him, standing in the hallway. She could recover here just as well as anywhere else. It wasn't like she would be sleeping anyways. She leaned against the wall, crossing her arms and closing her eyes. She stayed very still, listening carefully. She heard the faint scratching of a pen against paper, a barely audible sigh, and the small click of a door down the hall closing. She heard the faint whirring of a vent to her left, and heard muted voices coming from the occupied rooms spread throughout the hall. It was like a flow of sensory information just through hearing. Overtime she had found out how to identify each voice just by listening to the muted tones. Being silent had its advantages. For example, two council members, the tall one with the dark hair and eyes, and the blonde woman who was in charge of battle tactics were discussing the current alliance with Konoha in the room across the hall to the left. Ryoka couldn't see them or make out what they were saying, but she knew from observing and listening that the two worked with the council, and only discussed current alliances when together during work.

"So this is the evasive Nadeshiko-san," a voice said from in front of her." Ryoka's eyes snapped open and immediately traveled up to meet the friendly grey eyes of the Chancellor, a tall man with light brown hair and an authoritative air about him. She inclined her head politely. She had heard footsteps coming down the hall, but had not expected him to stop upon seeing her. Usually people didn't notice her anyways.

"I had some business with the Kazekage, but it appears the matter has already been resolved," the man sighed, glancing behind him down the hall. He noticed Ryoka following his gaze.

"Quite an incredible recovery the Kazekage went through," he noted, turning his head to meet her eyes. She hesitated before nodding.

"Also, I suppose I should warn you," he said seriously, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "There were some interviewers rushing towards this building earlier. Ever since the Kazekage's return, they've been after both him and an unidentified partner of his. I can only assume you are who they are looking for."

Ryoka pursed her lips. She doubted that. Why would any interviewer be interested in her? She never took credit for doing anything, so they shouldn't know any of her accomplishments. The Chancellor seemed to sense her doubt.

"Well since they were searching for the 'Kazekage's Evasive Lover', I could only assume it would be you. Kazekage-sama doesn't linger around many beautiful young women, Nadeshiko-san." He winked at her as she blushed, her eyes widening slightly. He smiled good-naturedly.

"Well, I don't want to bother you," he sighed. "See you around, Nadeshiko-san, or maybe not if the interviewers get to you first."

He tipped his hat to her and continued walking down the hall, leaving Ryoka slightly confused and quite horrified at the prospect of having interviewers chasing her every move. She barely had a chance to consider hiding before true to his word, the interviewers she assumed the chancellor had been talking about rounded the corner.

"Miss, is this the Kazekage's office?" One perky looking woman asked eagerly, getting way too close to Ryoka than she was comfortable with. She nodded, trying escape the choking waves of perfume the woman was radiating.

"Is he available? Are you his guard? What is he doing? Who are you?" the interviewers fired one question after the other, surrounding her. Ryoka suddenly felt very, very claustrophobic.

One of the interviewers whispered something in the woman's ear and her eyes widened. Ryoka suddenly felt dread settle in the pit of her stomach.

"Are you with the Kazekage? The girl everyone hears rumors of but nobody sees?" Ryoka paled.

"She has to be his lover," one of the interviewers whispered.

"She's blushing, it has to be true," the woman muttered to the man next to her.

"Alright, what's your name, and how have you avoided the public for so long?" the woman asked. Ryoka opened her mouth then closed it, trying not to gag. The woman was leaning in, way too close to her face, and Ryoka was already pressed up against the wall.

"Now, now, don't be shy dear," The woman pressed, pulling out a notepad. "If you don't feel like talking, why don't you start by writing your name here?" She shoved the paper and pen into Ryoka's hands. Ryoka stared at her blankly. There was no way in hell she wanted to give her name to these people.

"Hey, Ryoka, I need to talk to you." Ryoka swore silently. Why did someone have to call her by her name in front of the interviewers? They all persistently wrote down her first name, acting like starving dogs looking for scraps of information.

Saki pushed though the people.

"Would you guys leave for a while? The Kazekage's security guards are coming, and interviewing hours are over." Saki's voice was calm and measured, extremely different from the tone she had used with Ryoka only an hour or so before. At the word 'security' the interviewers scattered, promising to return as soon as visiting hours opened up again. It was amazing how much more silent the hallway was without them, though that woman's vile perfume scent lingered in the air.

Ryoka turned to Saki, finding the girl much closer to her face than she had expected.

"Ryoka, I'm leaving."

It took a moment for the words to register in her mind.

"W-what?" Ryoka choked out finally.

"You heard me. I'm leaving Sunagakure. Permanently."

"Why?"

Saki sighed. "I know you owe Konoha your life, and can't hate them, but to me Konoha is solely responsible for the death of everyone I knew and loved, and the destruction of our home."

"You mean the ANBU?" Ryoka confirmed, eyes narrowing. Saki nodded.

"I thought I could stay here since Suna had little to do with Konoha, and I had a job to complete, but now I've finished that job and I've realized exactly how closely linked Suna and Konoha are."

"What are you talking about?" Ryoka questioned in a hushed voice.

"The reason I stayed in Suna was to make sure that you either defeated, overcame, or befriended the monster inside of you. That's why I fought you earlier, even though I shouldn't have, and stayed here until you returned." Saki's voice was just as quiet as Ryoka's.

"How did you know that I overcame it?" Ryoka asked softly.

"Because you said that Gaara died, and if you hadn't overcome it at that point, it would have probably overcome you and killed you." Ryoka shook her head.

"But what does that have to do with whether or not you stay here?"

Saki took a deep breath.

"I don't have a reason to stay here anymore. I have finished what I had to do. At first I thought I could live here peacefully, but everything here now reminds me of Konoha. The alliance is strong, to the point where Konoha is helping in matters that solely concern Suna. I can't bear to be around anything that has to do with Konoha; not since they're responsible for destroying our village."

Ryoka looked down at her feet.

"Where will you go?" she finally asked.

"Probably to the Hidden village of Stone. It's isolated, but I think that's what I need right now."

Ryoka met Saki's eyes, feeling surprisingly sad at her friend's resolve to leave. Saki had always gotten angry at her and teased her, but she was the last friend from home that she once had. The last survivor.

"I hope you'll be happy," Ryoka managed to say, attempting a weak smile. Saki nodded, smiling brightly in return, though it seemed forced.

"Also…" Saki hesitated, taking out a small slip of paper. "I know that you were looking for the person who started the rumor that the Uchiha clan would be in Kagegakure, and I figured it out. I don't really blame that person, for me it's the ANBU, but… I thought you should know." She pressed the paper into Ryoka's hand.

Saki gave her brief hug, catching Ryoka by surprise, and then the young kunoichi was gone, vanishing in a puff of smoke.

Ryoka stared at the place where her friend had vanished, shocked and not knowing what to think. She did want to know who it was she would be tracking down for murdering her village, but it felt like the wrong time. She crushed the slip of paper in her hand, slipping it into the white band around her leg. She would look at it later. Right now she wanted to remember this time as parting with Saki, not plotting a revenge. Suddenly Gaara's office door opened, revealing the Kazekage as he walked out. His eyes shifted immediately to Ryoka.

"You stayed here the whole time, didn't you?" Gaara questioned darkly. She didn't bother nodding. He had already guessed correctly. He sighed.

"You should be resting."

She faced him stubbornly.

"I'm not leaving you," she said firmly, her voice quiet but fiercely determined. His eyes widened slightly, before returning to his normal blank expression.

"Come," he said quietly, taking her hand. She followed easily, vaguely wondering where they were going. They stopped outside of Gaara's room and he opened the door, leading her in.

He sat in a chair by his bed.

"Lay down," he instructed, nodding towards the bed. Ryoka gave him a strange look, but tentatively sat on the bed, watching him closely.

He leaned his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. She watched him for almost a full minute.

His eyes opened slightly, shifting towards her.

"I'm not going anywhere," he said in a low voice. "Rest." Oh. So that was his intention. She laid carefully on her back, her wide gold eyes still watching Gaara cautiously. His eyes opened a second time and he scowled when he saw her watching him.

"I told you I'm not going anywhere," he repeated. "Close your eyes."

She obeyed, eyes closing slowly. She was apprehensive, though his presence calmed her. She hadn't tried to sleep in a long time. Natsuko was restless, but wasn't interfering, though that didn't stop the bad memories she had from resurfacing. Red flashes shot across her vision. Blood. Blood everywhere. Her family screaming, Kohaku's neck slitting open, and the sharp sting of a knife that slashed at her skin over, and over, while she could do nothing but endure. Gaara's eyes, cold and dead, shifted, slowly transforming into Uchiha Sasuke's sharingan, as he stared her down, demanding a fight. More blood, more pain, more screams. Then nightmares, Satoru calling for help, then transforming into Sasori, puppet eyes rolling back into his head with sickening clicks, clawed hands coming out of the darkness, dark, bloodred eyes filled with pure undiluted hatred. All of her loved ones, bloody and lifeless, surrounding her as they called her name…

Ryoka's eyes flew open. She was gasping, her face sweating and her hands cold and clammy. Gaara was hovering over her in an instant, eyes betraying the concern he had.

"Nadeshiko," he said in a low voice, earnestly. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close to her, still shaking, her eyes closed tightly. He hesitated, not responding at first before gently holding her.

"I can't d-do this without you here," she gasped, taking deep shuddering breaths.

"I never left," he said in a low voice, his tone slightly rough.

"I can't see you, I c-can't sense you when I sleep," she choked, eyes opening. The nightmarish memories were still frighteningly vivid. She tucked her head into his chest, trying unsuccessfully to calm down. He wasn't sure what to do. He had no experience comforting people before. He had never really tried. He just knew he hated seeing Ryoka so scared. He kept holding her close, taking her hand in his. Her breathing calmed down, and her hands stopped shaking, though it took much longer for her to be able to close her eyes. She wasn't trying to sleep, so he just sat with her in his arms, not sure exactly how or if he was helping. He tried unsuccessfully to suppress the strange excitement he got from being this close to her. _She doesn't let others hold her, _he thought somewhat smugly before eradicating the thought. It was useless thinking that way. Absolutely pointless. He looked down at her peaceful expression, eyes widening. Had she fallen asleep? He shifted his weight slightly. She didn't stir, and her expression was several times more peaceful it had been when she had slept the first time. Careful not to wake her, he placed her gently on the bed, covering her with a blanket. Moments after he let go, her breathing started to quicken and accelerate. He took her hand, about to wake her up, but as soon as he touched her, her breathing rate returned to normal. His eyes widened. Could she tell he was there as long as he held her hand? Would that allow her to sleep peacefully? If so that was a price he would readily agree to. She slept very lightly, only for a few minutes, but when she woke up it wasn't from a nightmare, rather just because she couldn't sleep much after staying awake continuously for so long.

"Sleep well?" he questioned quietly. She blinked sleepily at him. Then alertness returned to her eyes.

"Did I really?" she questioned, looking confused. He nodded. Her face went blank for a moment, and Gaara assumed her tailed beast was speaking to her.

She blushed scarlet, looking down at her feet.

"Did… Did you really have to…"

"Hold your hand?" he guessed quietly. Her blush deepened, but his eyes were amused.

"I didn't mind."


	38. 38 Murderer

**Author's Note: hey everyone! I'm sorry, I know it's been a super long time since I updated, things have been slightly insane around here. I actually have the biggest test of my life tomorrow and decided to procrastinate by writing! So that's awesome for you guys... not-so-awesome for seikatsu over here, but no matter. Here is the next chapter, I hope you guys like it. if it is rushed, let me know and I will go back over it to revise. Truth be told I felt really bad about not updating so it might be a bit rough. Please review, and happy reading!**

"Kankuro-san, it's time for you to get ready."

Kankuro rolled over with a grunt.

"It's Saturday, let me sleep in for once," he grumbled.

Ryoka moved to the side as Temari walked in briskly.

"Baka," Temari snapped. "You're lucky it's Ryoka and not Gaara that's waking you up. It's almost noon, so get a move on."

"Let Gaara come," Kankuro mumbled. "I'm not scared of him."

"Scared of who?" A chillingly calm and familiar voice appeared behind Ryoka. Kankuro jumped in surprise, falling off of his bed and onto the floor with a blunt impact.

"Morning, Gaara," Temari greeted him. He nodded back, before glancing at Ryoka questioningly.

She shrugged.

"Long day?" Temari questioned, noticing the tension in Gaara's posture. His hesitation was so brief Ryoka almost thought she had imagined it. Almost.

"Somewhat," came the vague answer.

"Well we're all here, so let's get some lunch," Temari suggested, taking Ryoka's wrist and pulling her down the hall. Ryoka blinked in surprise but didn't resist, glancing behind her to make sure the Kazekage was coming too.

It had been three years. Three long and relatively perfect years. Ryoka had managed to sleep for up to three hours every night, so long as Gaara was there, and though he retained his habit of remaining awake, his cold demeanor towards others had all but diminished completely. Several things had happened in the three year span. Gaara and Ryoka were almost inseparable. They did argue occasionally, though half the time you couldn't tell because they communicated silently for the most part. It varied who won the arguments, but in the end it didn't really matter. Konoha had developed along with Suna, the next generation of shinobi coming in to take the place of the last. Sasuke was still on the run, his whereabouts unknown but his intentions somewhat clearer after joining with Orochimaru. Naruto and Sakura's team had gained a new member going by the name of Sai. The only people that knew Ryoka was the jinchuriki of the seven tailed beast were Gaara, Kakashi, and Saki, wherever she was. Ryoka was widely known throughout Suna as Gaara's girlfriend though most didn't know anything about her besides her name. She had a knack for avoiding people, particularly reporters and interviewers, so the frustrated press had lessened their attempts to extract information from her, a phenomenon that Ryoka had been relieved to experience.

Ryoka was happy. For the first time since before she had become a jinchuriki, she felt like she was enjoying life more than she ever had before. All she wanted was for everything to stay the way it was.

Of course, life had never seemed to go according to her wishes.

They went out to eat, a rare occurrence for the Kazekage, who usually took to eating in his office. Kankuro showed up late, clothes slightly off kilter, but still there never the less. The conversation was light, reliving old adventures and sharing stories over their meal, Gaara and Ryoka mostly listening as Temari and Kankuro bantered their conversations back and forth.

"Ne, Ryoka, how many times did you leave the hospital after Gaara was kidnapped by the Akatsuki?" Kankuro asked. Ryoka flinched. Just the memory of Gaara's lifeless body was enough to make her shiver. Gaara's pale green eyes shifted to her, before turning to glare at Kankuro.

"Four," she replied quietly.

"I remember that!" Temari exclaimed. "She was so annoyed that she was supposed to stay in a hospital room while Gaara was on duty as Kazekage, so she just walked out every time they brought her back."

Gaara's eyes twinkled in amusement.

"They released you early because they couldn't keep you there any longer," he murmured to her. Kankuro roared with laughter and Ryoka smiled slightly at the memory. Back then it had been the most frustrating thing in the world, but now it did seem somewhat comical. They finished eating, and Temari and Kankuro left, Ryoka and Gaara deciding to walk back more slowly.

"Something happen today?" Ryoka questioned quietly, eyes searching Gaara's face for the tension she had seen earlier. Gaara nodded subtly.

"…Orochimaru was killed recently." There was that hesitation. Again. Though what he said was probably true, that wasn't what was really on his mind. She decided to play along anyeays.

"Really? By who?"

"Uchiha… Sasuke."

Ryoka scowled. Just that name irked her to no end. That kid had serious problems, and one day maybe she would get the chance to set him straight, but until then, she would tolerate his stupidity. Killing Orochimaru though. Even she had to admit that was impressive. He was getting stronger.

"Sasuke? Why?"

"I don't know," Gaara answered, thinking.

_And you don't really care, _Ryoka added mentally.

"How's Naruto-san?" she questioned.

"He's hoping Sasuke will return to Konoha."

_Of course. _Ryoka felt a twinge of sympathy for the fellow jinchuriki. Losing a friend was one thing, but losing a friend that you had hope would come back was tough.

"Hm," was her only reply. She walked into the Kazekage building, following close behind him, wondering if he was going to do paperwork or attend the Council meeting that had been called for that afternoon.

He turned towards the agenda room. The meeting, then.

"I'll see you in an hour," he promised. She nodded, and he opened the door, vanishing behind it. She wanted to wait in the hall for him, but that was risky. Reporters hadn't completely given up on her yet, so her safest bet would be to go to her room, where she wouldn't be bothered.

**You should go outside where we can train, **Natsuko suggested, his condescending voice somewhat energetic. They had almost mastered working together, thought it had taken several months of hard work.

_I don't think I have the energy today, _she responded silently, walking to her room.

**Come on, don't be lazy. **

_Says the one that sleeps all day every day, _she answered easily.

**Wolves are naturally nocturnal, **he retorted.

**Well I've been training constantly lately, so I'm just going to take it easy.**

**That's unlike you, **he noted with a yawn.

**I want to wait for Gaara to tell me what's really wrong, **she admitted.

**I know.**

She walked slowly to her room, opening the door and sitting on the bed, leaning on the window ledge and staring out at the untamed desert of Suna. She felt a twinge of longing for her old life of adventure, with the freedom to go where she pleased. Of course, she couldn't leave Gaara. Though she sometimes wished for the freedom of the Wanderer, Gaara strongly disagreed with her leaving the city. Though she was strong, he worried constantly, though it was never apparent on his expression. He barely refrained from killing Kankuro when he jokingly pushed her down the stairs, though she retained her balance halfway down. Staying in Suna where it was safe was the one thing Gaara asked of her, and though sometimes it was difficult, it was the least she could do after all the favors he had done her. Something about that thought seemed to bother Natsuko, but when she sent him a questioning thought, he said nothing. She sensed someone outside her door and didn't bother getting up. She knew who it was. He let himself in, knowing she preferred it that way.

"I need to talk to you," Gaara said quietly.

"Yes you do," she answered softly, still looking out the window. Perhaps now he would tell her what had been bothering him earlier in the day.

"At the meeting a while ago, we got reports of the Akatsuki taking action once again." Ryoka sighed. So he wasn't ready to tell. If he was talking about a meeting that had taken place moments ago, then that couldn't be what was bothering him. She stood and walked over to a small chest of drawers, untying her forehead protector and setting it in the top drawer next to a small box that contained extra shuriken and a couple of kunai knives. A slip of paper in the back caught her eye. She pulled out one of the old white wrappings she used to tie around her leg when she was constantly in action.

"I think you should look out for them," Gaara continued, eyes following her as she lifted the band, pulling the slip of paper from the folds of fabric.

_What is this? _She wondered, unfolding the paper. Natsuko growled slightly.

**Now we'll see if you can stay in this city for Gaara or not, **he warned.

Her eyes skimmed over the paper, eyes widening. She froze.

"This is impossible," she breathed, knowing even as she said it the truth was undeniable.

"Nadeshiko?" Gaara paused, eyes narrowing.

Ryoka,

You know how good I am at tracking, and you know I won't lie to you. I tracked down who you're looking for. I found someone who knew who led the ANBU to our village. In exchange for telling me who he was, he wanted to know the identity of who was after this kid. I told him that the Wanderer would kill the man or woman responsible for the destruction of the Hidden Village of Shadows. He said to tell Wanderer this:

Kill the rogue.

I don't know what that means, but he said you would. Don't do anything stupid.

Saki

"Damn him," Ryoka snarled. Noticing the sudden change in atmosphere, Gaara stood, eyes narrowing slightly.

She turned quickly and tied her forehead protector back around her head, roughly opening the drawer and taking out three shuriken.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to kill him," she growled, dark fury in her eyes.

It took Gaara about half a second to understand who she had just discovered.

"You know who is responsible for the death of your family and friends." It wasn't a question. She nodded.

Gaara hesitated for a moment, eyes slightly sad, before speaking.

"You can't go."

She froze. "Gaara-!"

"I came to tell you. The Akatsuki are on the move again, and it's more dangerous than ever. They captured the disguised seven tails Chomei and Fuu. It won't be long before they realize it was a fake and come after you."

"I can protect myself, Gaara, I'm not a rookie at this kind of thing," she insisted, her voice attaining a thin edge to it.

"I can't let you go," he said earnestly, his voice slightly icy.

"Gaara, they killed my family. They're the reason my teammates and friends were killed. I lost my sister because of him!"

"And I won't lose you too!" he snapped, little specks of sand twitching around his feet.

"I know you won't! I'll be back before you know it! I've handled the Akatsuki before, and even if they've gotten stronger, so have I."

"You aren't getting it," he hissed. "They are targeting jinchuriki. They will have coordinated attacks planned to put you at the worst disadvantage!"

"So what?" she hissed. "Won't they do the same whether I'm here or not?"

"I won't let them touch you," he snarled, fists clenching at his sides as sand whipped around his feet.

"Nobody knows I'm a jinchuriki! They can't find me!" she yelled.

"I'm not taking that risk!" he returned, raising his voice to match hers.

Temari suddenly slammed the door open, pausing in surprise when she saw Gaara standing, inches away from Ryoka, both glaring icy daggers at each other.

"Are you two in the middle of something?" she asked hesitantly, eyes shifting worriedly between the two.

Ryoka turned and walked to the doorway. Stopping abruptly when Gaara followed. She turned to glare at him with dark eyes.

"_Just try and stop me," _she snarled, before turning and vanishing into a swirl of darkness. Gaara swore, turning around to face Temari, who looked slightly scared.

"I've never seen you two so angry… Where is she going?"

"She's going after the man who is responsible for the death of her comrades," Gaara answered stiffly.

"And you tried to stop her? Gaara…" Temari's tone was disapproving.

"The Akatsuki are moving again," he growled.

"But they aren't after her, right? They're only after jinchuriki."

"Right," he spat angrily.

"She's strong, she'll be back soon." Gaara sat on the bed, resting his head in his hands.

"I didn't get a chance to tell her," he said hollowly.

"Tell her what?" Temari moved to sit next to her younger brother.

"This morning the council proposed a new plan for strengthening an alliance with another country."

"Oh, that ridiculous notion of marrying you off to the daughter of a feudal lord? You told them you couldn't, right?"

"Of course," he snapped in annoyance. "But they're having her come to Suna anyways."

"_What?" _Temari's mouth dropped open.

"She arrives tomorrow, and I needed to tell Nadeshiko…"

"That there was no way in hell that you would marry this girl?"

"Precisely."

Ryoka left Suna hurt and angry. Gaara had promised her. They had agreed together, after she had helped revive him from the Akatsuki Incident that he would let her go when she found out who was responsible for her bloody history. Did he really not trust her after more than three years? She stood at the canyon bordering Suna, jumping quickly from ledge to ledge. She would prove that she didn't need that constant protection. Right now she couldn't think about Gaara. Her mind was jumbled with a dark rage that obliterated all logical thought. He had always bothered her, almost a sixth sense that warned her he was someone she shouldn't befriend. His name was enough to make her skin crawl. From the first day they had met, when he had challenged her, to the time when he had confronted her in a dark tunnel.

Kill the Rogue.

A snarl rose to her lips.

I accept your challenge, Uchiha Sasuke.

**Last minute Author's Note:** **And that's a wrap! I hope you liked the few chapters of fluffiness going on, but things are about to get intense again, so look forward to that. I may possibly update sooner rather than later, depending on finals, I'll keep you guys posted that. Feel free to ask questions either through private messaging or reviews, I'd be happy to answer both in any way I can. See you guys next time!**


	39. 39 The Players Converge

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! this is kind of a bridging chapter, but I'm trying to spread things out, give each character a bit more depth so that things don't seem too rushed. The action does pick up soon, no worries there, and I hope you enjoy this chapter... by the way, I'm receiving a lot of questions about Sasuke being too young to be behind the destruction of Kagegakure, and rest assured that ALL will be explained in future chapters. Thanks for all the positive feedback so far and please review! :)**

A pair of chilling emerald eyes regarded the barren desert passively. The only hint of emotion was displayed in the agitated grains of sand swirling about, small enough to be disregarded as an act of the scorching wind.

The distorted silhouettes of a few small figures were outlined against the blood red sunrise. The very same emerald orbs narrowed as they slowly drew nearer. Gaara pressed his lips together in a thin line. A single day, and a single night. That's how long it had been since Nadeshiko Ryoka's untimely departure. His alleged _fiancé _would be arriving that night. And leaving the next morning, if he had a say in the matter, which as the Kazekage, he most certainly did. He had taken it upon himself to read the note that had been responsible for Ryoka's abrupt abandonment of Suna, and had not been pleased with what he had discovered, to say the least.

Kill the rogue. What a stupidly vague assertion to go off recklessly over. Rogue ninjas weren't uncommon throughout the world of shinobi, so the cryptic statement could refer to nearly anyone. Of course, he knew Ryoka would immediately assume Uchiha Sasuke was the criminal. She knew of only a few rogue ninjas, including Orochimaru, who had been killed, and a select few members of the Akatsuki, most of whom were unrelated to the Uchiha clan. However that didn't excuse the fact that her actions were incredibly reckless and naïve. Gaara closed his eyes, leaning his elbows on a ledge and resting his chin in his hands. Ryoka was smart. She was very, very smart. But she had contained and hidden an immeasurable amount of hate and pain over her family and home, which prevented her from thinking logically and seeing reason when it came to this matter.

That was the reason he was worried. She wasn't being careful or cautious, and the Akatsuki would be looking for the real jinchuriki of the seven tailed beast very soon, if they hadn't begun their search already. He was restricted to staying in Suna as long as political matters continued to be strained and had no way of leaving his village to bring her home, though he was the only one capable of doing it. A barely audibly sigh escaped his lips. There was also the issue of Naruto. As soon as his friend discovered that Ryoka bore a murderous grudge against the young Uchiha, the blonde jinchuriki would stop at no lengths to prevent her from harming the powerful possessor of the sharingan.

"Kazekage-sama?" A hesitant voice behind him broke through his thoughts. He stood without turning, his head tilting slightly to the side to show that he was listening.

"The council wishes to speak with you to ensure you are prepared for the arrival of the feudal lord's daughter."

Gaara's eye twitched in annoyance. He was prepared. Of that he was certain. As for the safety of his friends and loved ones, he wasn't so sure.

* * *

Sasuke regarded his team with cold black eyes. He had successfully found three decently strong members he could temporarily consider his comrades. Jugo, Karin, and Suigetsu. His team was almost complete, but not quite perfect.

"Where are we going next?" Jugo questioned roughly, His low voice echoing slightly in their dimly lit surroundings. They were in a less than hospitable cave that overlooked a dank riverbed, surrounded on almost all sides by dark trees strangled with vines. The temperature seemed to drop at random, providing freezing mornings and even icier nights.

Sasuke turned his head slightly in his new comrade's general direction. "There is one more person we need," he answered tonelessly.

"Another?" Suigetsu complained. "Isn't this one enough?" He jerked his head in Karin's direction and she shot him a glare.

"Urusai," she warned threateningly, raising her fist.

"She's a legend. We will need her if we want to achieve our goal."

"Our goal?" Suigetsu questioned with a raised eyebrow. "I'm just with ya till I get my sword. Once that happens, I'm out."

Sasuke didn't answer.

"_She?" _Karin protested jealously. "I suppose she'll be easy to convince to come along if _you're _the one asking, Sasuke-kun." Her voice rose to a flirtier pitch when she pronounced his name, ending on a high note.

"…perhaps," was his only reply.

"How do you intend to find her?" Jugo queried.

"She's a Wanderer. We will need Karin's tracking abilities," Sasuke answered with a slight grimace. Karin straightened up in pride, her eyes lighting up.

"What's this legend about anyways?" Suigetsu asked, blatantly ignoring Karin. "What makes this girl so special?"

Sasuke paused, his expression darkening.

"That's what I intend to find out," he answered. Whatever made her strong, he would find out what it was, and use it to find Itachi. Whether she agreed to go with them or not, he would discover what hidden strength she was concealing and exploit it. That strange darkness that tinged her chakra… he _would _find out what it was, and the potential it possessed.

* * *

"Naruto!" Tsunade placed her hands on her hips, her expression perplexed and exasperated. The boy slammed open the door, breathing heavily.

"Nani, Nani?!" He demanded between gasps. "What did I miss, Obaa-san?"

"You have a special mission request from the Kazekage."

Naruto stood up straight, his expression becoming confused.

"From Gaara?" he asked. Tsunade gave a firm nod of confirmation.

"The Kazekage is extremely busy with his affairs and requested that you specifically help out with an A-rank mission."

Naruto's smile widened.

"So Gaara's asking for a Genin's help, hm?" he reiterated smugly. Tsunade had to stop herself from rolling her eyes.

"Just listen, and I'll tell you what you have to do. It concerns Sasuke."

Naruto's smile faded instantly.

* * *

Ryoka took a deep breath. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale again. She breathed out slowly, her breath fogging in the midnight air. _Think, _she told herself, though her heart was pounding with fresh adrenaline. She had held in her fury and pain for several years; she could bear to hold it a while longer. She knew she was acting rashly. That much was clear to her. She should be taking this slowly, considering every aspect of the situation like she usually did, but every time the image of that _Uchiha's _face flashed through her memory… She shuddered, a fresh wave of fury and hate surging through her. It couldn't be anyone else. She didn't know of any other rogue shinobi other than Orochimaru, and supposedly he was dead.

_Think, Ryoka! _Sasuke was young, only a year older than her. He would have been in the Academy in the time that information would have gotten to the ANBU about Kagegakure. He couldn't have been older than ten. How had he spread information that he most likely wasn't aware of himself? She had to come up with a plan, something that would not give away her true intentions. She repeatedly tried to calm herself down, hiding in the shadows as icy droplets of rain began to fall. She didn't bother taking shelter, instead allowing the cold water to shock her back to reality. Think and use reason. She had been doing just that impeccably for eighteen years. At a crucial time like this, she couldn't afford to stop thinking logically. She gathered her thoughts. The rain helped. It calmed the side of her that was like raging fire, wanting to rush to the scene and kill whatever tried to stop her.

The first action she knew had to be finding Sasuke. It wouldn't be difficult. He would be looking for her. He always was. He was drawn to strength and power. He would come to her, and she would find out the truth. Only then would she decide whether or not he was worthy of killing. There was also the option of his older brother. She knew nothing about him, only that he was a previous member of Konoha and an Uchiha. She needed to use her resources, and confirm Saki's story for herself. Who had Saki received the message from? Were they as reliable as Saki had insisted? She would have to confirm those answers. It would take every ounce of self-control she possessed, but she would treat the young Uchiha as she always did until she had justification to kill him. That was thinking logically. Despite the analytical perspective of her plan, she would have to hurry. She only had so much self control. It wouldn't take much time with the Sharingan user before she wouldn't be able to stand him and suddenly let loose on the instinct to kill. She would be careful. She found herself slipping back into her old mindset of beng the Wanderer. Quiet, indifferent, and unseen.

A deadly calm settled over Ryoka. She could resolve this. She didn't want to think about what she would do if Sasuke wasn't to blame. Someone needed to take responsibility for the suffering she and her village had endured, but now, now was the imperative moment for her to take things at a reasonable pace. All in due time, Sasuke would receive his retribution. And if not Sasuke, she would hunt the man or woman responsible for her family's murders to the ends of the earth.

A pang of guilt shot through her as she remembered her argument with Gaara. The red haired Kazekage was undoubtedly furious. She would be too if he left suddenly without proper explanation. For the first time in her life, Ryoka felt divided between two families. One family was one that had been taken right out from under her, brutally murdered before her eyes, and deserved to be avenged… but that meant leaving the one she loved, the family that had taken her in. How long would it be before she could return?

Three days, she decided finally. That would be the absolute limit. She would find Sasuke, discover the truth, and make her final decision in three days. After that time, she would return to her family in the Hidden village of the Sand, and never look back. Kyoka's bright smiling face flashed through her memory, and Ryoka felt a familiar ache in her chest. Time to go.

**Last Minute Author's Note: Wow, almost to forty chapters... Well that's exciting. I'll try my best to update soon!**


	40. 40 Competition

**Author's Note: Hey everyone, sorry it's been a while, it seems like school is trying to cram in as many exams as possible before summer, so it's been really difficult to keep up with writing. I know that's not a good excuse, but bear with me! I have the next three chapters completely planned out, so it's just a matter of taking the time to write them out. This chapter is short, but it's kind of important to build up to what happens soon, so look forward to it!**

"This is unacceptable," Gaara's chilling voice rang with deadly authority, making the members of the council stiffen slightly in apprehension.

"To have a suitor travel across countries to Sunagakure without the Kazekage's consent… Such acts give me the grounds to expel all of you for treason."

He made eye contact with each of them individually, his glare hard and cold.

The council member occupying the screen to his left cleared his throat.

"It was in your best interest, Kazekage-sama. The alliances we have formed with the Country of Earth are weakening. To marry with a high ranked woman of the Hidden Village of Stone is an honor that would restore peace between the Countries of Wind and Earth." His voice was deep and slow, and increasingly obnoxious to the young Kazekage.

"If alliances need to be forged, Suna will propose joint missions and trading agreements, not _marriage. _If there is a specific concern for the strength of an alliance, it is not your place to invite foreigners here without my knowledge."

Gaara directed his next words to all of them, a quiet fury in his eyes.

"All of you must learn your place. It is not a responsibility of yours to take action without notifying me unless I instruct you to do so."

"You are still merely a child," The council member occupying the middle screen insisted, folding his hands and resting his chin on them thoughtfully.

"You still do not have the experience to govern Sunagakure alone."

Gaara's eye twitched.

"I am the _Kazekage. _Though I am young and have not yet gained the experience you speak of, I am not an ignorant or naïve child that will marry simply to uphold an alliance!" Gaara's voice was rising as he glared at them, forcing his posture to remain slightly relaxed.

"What's done is done," the council member occupying the third screen interrupted.

"The feudal lord and his daughter are here, and it is your duty as the leader of this village to welcome them."

"Even as I welcome them, know that they will be sent home within twenty four hours," Gaara growled through clenched teeth.

"Enough of this," the first council member snapped. "You must put your feelings for that foreign rogue shinobi behind you and look towards the good of Sunagakure."

Gaara's hands curled into fists at his sides.

"This alleged marriage is not the way to benefit Sunagakure. Of that I am certain. And Nadeshiko is not a _foreign rogue. _She belongs here just as much as any native citizen."

"Where is this shinobi now?" One of the members questioned.

"She is attending to some family business," Gaara answered stiffly after a moment of silence.

"Then you must provide hospitality to the feudal lord and his daughter until her return at the very least," he insisted, much to Gaara's displeasure.

"I will not-"

"You must!" the councilman interrupted angrily, slamming his hands on the table. "Your guests are at our doorstep this very instant! Go to them and fulfill your duty as Kazekage!"

Gaara clenched his teeth, his eyes glaring at them with intense ferocity.

"This discussion isn't over," he snarled, before angrily turning and leaving, the door slamming loudly behind him.

Those council members… they wouldn't get away with this.

"Welcome to Suna, I hope you had no troubles on your journey here," Gaara said quietly, keeping his voice monotone and his expression perfectly smooth. The feudal lord was a tall man with a thick beard, wearing the strange attire common to the Country of Earth. His daughter was tall as well, with long, wavy brown hair and bright blue eyes. She was pale, and looked delicate, like a simple breeze might blow her away, but she smiled cheerfully at him, her eyes forming upturned crescents as she happily waited to be escorted in. She was beautiful, but Gaara stubbornly ignored the fact, barely even glancing at her as she introduced herself.

"No, no, the journey was fine," the feudal lord assured him. "In case you weren't already informed, allow me to introduce myself. I am Higurashi Sato, and this is my daughter and joy, Naomi."

Gaara inclined his head politely at the girl.

"Nice to meet you," Gaara answered in monotone, his gaze shifting to his left, where Temari was approaching.

"This is my elder sister, Temari. She will be escorting you to your rooms before dinner. Take your time settling in," the young Kazekage murmured.

Temari bowed politely.

"Allow me to show you to your rooms," she requested politely.

Naomi nodded, looking slightly crestfallen as Gaara showed no sign of walking with them.

"It was nice meeting you, Kazekage-sama," she said politely, inclining her head as she passed him. He didn't turn, instead closing his eyes and walking in the other direction. He could feel a major headache coming his way and he still had to get rid of those two before Ryoka returned. He shook his head. Tonight at dinner he would explain his predicament, and send them back.

Temari walked down the hall unable to keep from smiling as Naomi excitedly talked about how much she had looked forward to Suna.

"I never thought I'd get the opportunity to come here," she breathed excitedly, clasping her hands behind her back as she walked.

"Suna's a pretty amazing place, ne?"

"if you like the desert, and heat," Temari answered with a chuckle.

"I don't really mind the heat, but I hear this place has the most amazing sunsets," Naomi continued excitedly.

"I suppose so," Temari laughed.

"Do you think the Kazekage ever watches the sunsets?" she asked, pausing curiously.

"I'm sure he does sometimes," Temari answered cautiously. At least, he used to all the time with Ryoka.

"I hope he likes me," she worried. "I mean, he doesn't have to of course, I just don't want to be an annoyance or anything. Some of my friends tell me I talk too much."

"I wouldn't worry if I were you," Temari answered kindly. "Gaara isn't the type to judge someone without understanding them first."

"Really?" Naomi questioned excitedly. "I can't wait for dinner tonight. You know, I heard that Gaara-sama was powerful and scary, but I just knew there had to be a nice side to him as well. I can't wait to get to know him!"

"We'll see," Temari answered hesitantly. She was worried. Naomi seemed like such a nice girl, and as much as she hated to admit it, she was so much more outgoing and happy than Ryoka, and didn't seem closed off at all. Maybe it was time for Gaara to experience a relationship with someone like Naomi. Someone who didn't have that darkness in them.

Temari shook her head to clear her thoughts. What was she thinking? Just because Naomi was a nice girl didn't mean that she could just forget Ryoka. Ryoka had her good qualities too, didn't she?

_But she keeps leaving, _a sneaky voice in Temari's mind wormed its way into her thoughts. _She can't appreciate Gaara that much if she keeps abandoning him._

Temari sighed. Ryoka better hurry home this time. Temari opened the door for the two of them.

"make yourself at home," she insisted kindly.

"Thank you, Temari-san," Naomi answered cheerfully with a bow and a perfect smile.

"Of course," Temari answered. "I'll fetch you two for dinner when it's time."

* * *

"Absolutely not, Temari," Gaara snarled.

"Gaara, you have to give her a chance," the blonde pleaded.

"I thought you agreed with me on this matter," he growled, glaring at her. "I want that girl and her father out of this village tomorrow morning. No exceptions."

"Gaara, just listen, she's really kind and sweet, and I'm not saying you have to marry her or anything, I just want you to get to know her a little bit, because I think it would help you." Temari's eyes were pleading, and worried.

"I don't care."

"Gaara, she's wanted to meet you since she was a little girl, and has looked forward to this day for months."

Gaara closed his eyes, his head throbbing with a dull ache.

"Temari," he growled. "I never thought that you of all people would betray Nadeshiko like this."

Temari froze, her expression shocked and hurt.

"How could you accuse me of betraying Ryoka? She's the one who keeps leaving us-!" Temari cut off her words as soon as she had uttered them, regret flashing across her face as Gaara's expression briefly became conflicted before smoothing over again.

"This time once she returns, she won't feel the need to leave again, and if she does, I will be able to go with her," he answered in a low voice, not meeting Temari's eyes.

"I know," Temari replied quietly, "I'ts just that... Naomi's personality, Gaara... it just makes people feel better about themselves and want to smile. Just give it three days, okay? Then send her home if you still want to."

"...I'll consider it," he answered finally.

* * *

"Gaara-sama, are you feeling okay?" Naomi's voice was soothing, with a note of genuine concern and worry.

"Fine," the Kazekage lied, staring at his plate with distaste. He hated it when Temari was right. No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't bring himself to hate this girl, naive as she seemed.

Her conversation was light-hearted and warm, as was her personality, and there was never any silence like there was when it was just the three siblings and Ryoka.

Gaara stood abruptly, unable to eat anymore, and turned to leave, excusing himself.

Naomi stood as well, asking if he could show her around a bit.

"I have work to do," he answered, a bit too coldly.

"Do you mind if I come with you?" she asked, eyes curious. He just watched her for a moment.

"Fine," he answered finally, after failing to think of a reason for her not to.

They walked down the hall in silence, Naomi seeming to sense that he was not in the mood for idle conversation.

"You know, I really was looking forward to meeting you, Gaara-sama," she said happily, looking up at him. He didn't answer.

"I wanted to meet you even before you became the Kazekage," she admitted. Gaara blinked. That was most likely a lie.

"All of my friends and family made fun of me for it," she laughed, looking embarrassed. "They thought I was stupid, wanting to meet someone they all thought was a monster, but I really couldn't help it." She laughed again. "Any time someone brought up the name, 'Gaara of the Sand' I just couldn't help but get excited. I can't believe I actually get to meet you now... it's like a dream come true."

Gaara stopped, completely stunned. Was she serious? She actually wanted to meet him when he was still the host for Shukaku? Was she insane?

"You... weren't afraid?" he asked. She stopped with him, looking surprised.

"Of course not," she answered simply. "I mean, of course I heard stories about things that you did, or things that happened to people that went near you, but I either ignored them or took them for rumors. I didn't really care." They were standing outside of his office door.

He turned to face her for the first time, trying to tell if she was lying. She laughed nervously after a moment.

"Is there something on my face?" she asked. He shook his head slightly.

"I don't believe you," he admitted in a low voice. She blinked, then smiled guiltily.

"I guess it is kind of hard to believe," she admitted, "but it is the truth, honest!" She blushed. "I'll prove it to you."

Before he had a chance to react, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his, her eyes closing. His eyes widened a fraction before her stumbled back, turning his head away and breaking off the kiss.

"Too soon?" she guessed, lowering her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, blushing, "but I wouldn't do something like that if I thought you were a monster, right?" She gave him one last sad smile and waved.

"Goodnight, Gaara-sama," she said softly, turning and walking back down the hall. "I'll see you in the morning."

Gaara stared after her, beginning to feel conflicted. He should be worried about Ryoka, disgusted that Naomi had acted so freely without reservation, and determined to make them leave as soon as possible, regardless of Temari's wishes. So why was it that his only thought was surprise and pleasure that someone in the world hadn't considered him a monster when he was at his worst?

**Last minute Author's Note: Please don't hate me for this chapter guys, and please review as always! Thanks:)**


	41. 41 The Truth Revealed

**Author's Note: Hey guys, I wanted to wait a bit to post this chapter because I finished it early and was going to get a bit ahead on my writing, but once I was done I was a bit too excited about it to wait, so here it is, I hope you guys like it, and please review! Oh, also, I loved all of your reviews on the last chapter, so thanks for the feedback:)**

Ryoka sensed Sasuke long before she saw or heard him. She stood silently, standing several meters above the ground on a thick tree branch, arms crossed over her chest. Her gaze shifted darkly to the left as the ninja approached. He wasn't alone. She sensed, two? No, three people, traveling with the Uchiha, each with a substantially formidable amount of chakra. Strange. It was unlike Sasuke to travel with comrades since leaving Konoha. Perhaps loneliness did more to him than he realized. She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply through her nose, and letting her breath out slowly through her mouth, immediately steadying her heart rate. She had spent a full twelve hours of her precious three days to gain the information she needed. Now she knew his motive and his intention. It was time.

She silently swung to the ground, landing in a crouch, and pulled her mask over her face. No sense in allowing her enemies to see her face. She straightened gracefully, gold eyes staring intently at the surrounding trees, sensing the four of them spread around her, ready to ambush if their plan was unsuccessful. Not that they would succeed anyways, but that was for her to know only.

He appeared out of nowhere.

"Nadeshiko," he murmured, from directly behind her. She shivered. Her name coming from his mouth repulsed her, but she stayed very still, sensing the blade of a dagger a mere centimeter from her neck. He touched the icy blade to her skin, standing directly behind him.

"I'm surprised," he drawled, his tone colder and sharper than the weapon held at her neck. "You must have seen this coming."

She didn't answer, instead waiting, her arms relaxed at her sides, face completely expressionless, half hidden with the mask. There was a long silence, both of them daring the other to make the first move. Ryoka stayed very still, trying to calm her nerves. If he provoked her, she wasn't sure she could keep her actions under control like she had for so many years. _Just wait, and he will tell you what he wants, _she told herself. Natsuko agreed, but he was itching to attack the sharingan user as well. He hadn't fought for a long time, having had to reduce his abilities to mere training activities, and the wait made him impatient.

"I have a request for you," Sasuke gave in, making her lips twitch upwards in the ghost of a smile.

"The knife isn't gaining you any favors," she threatened quietly, her voice dark and barely audible.

"You seem more talkative than usual," he observed, sliding the knife into his belt and stepping away from the masked shinobi. Ryoka didn't turn around. She didn't want to see his face.

"You seem just as reckless and idiotic as always," she answered evenly. She scanned the forest around her, locating the chakra traces of the other three. She found them in an instant. One was in the trees, female, some kind of tracker. The strongest one, to her left, was standing behind the cover of thick foliage, the faint trace of a shadow in the grass giving away his position. The third she had to search a bit more carefully for, but she soon located a faint trace of chakra in a river a few meters away. He must be some kind of water jutsu user. She would keep that in mind. The female from the trees angrily stormed forward, glaring daggers at Ryoka.

"Don't talk to Sasuke-kun that way!" she growled, her red hair sticking up a bit from being in a tree. "You're only eighteen, right? Don't go around acting like you're better than him or anyone else."

Ryoka's eyes slowly shifted to the redheaded female, and the girl shivered under the shinobi's focused glare.

"Be quiet, Karin," Sasuke scolded darkly, making her sulk. He turned back to Ryoka.

"You know what it is like to want revenge."

_You're telling me, _she thought darkly, her gaze returning to the raven haired boy.

"I want you to join me. Help me find my _brother_." The way he said brother unnerved her. He spat the word, much like she most likely would if she ever had to say his name.

"To kill him," she guessed quietly.

He didn't answer. This was the perfect opportunity to find out if he was guilty. If she became his companion, she could find out whatever she needed to know. Of course, for her to agree would be out of character. It would look extremely suspicious.

She looked him square in the eye.

"I refuse."

"Then you'll have to fight your way out. If you can win, you're free to go."

"No," she answered calmly, though fighting him was exactly what she wanted to do.

His eyes darkened.

"I thought you might say that."

In an instant, there was a crash from her left as a large man barreled towards her with surprising speed, considering his size. She reacted instinctively, rolling under the man and whirling around, just in time to see a thin sword come within an inch of her face. She ducked, quickly grabbing the arm holding the sword and yanking it forward, her foot coming into contact with Sasuke's stomach. The hit barely brushed him before he vanished, appearing behind her as a new face appeared in front of her, a smaller man with short white hair and sharpened teeth. She swung around, punching him in the face, but her hand passed straight through his head. She swore inwardly. So this was the water user. The three of them all aimed a simultaneous attack, and she twisted into the air, landing a few meters away in a crouch. This was going to get messy if she didn't do something. She closed her eyes, forming a seal. She willed it to a weaker form, not wanting her eyes to change color yet. The water user lunged at her.

"Wait, Suigetsu!" The large man barked, but he was too late. Water was weak against electricity. A smile tugged at the corners of her lips, revealing sharpened canines. Black flickers of electricity danced at her fingertips. As soon as he was close enough, she flashed forward and slammed the energy into his gut, hearing him give a satisfyingly pained grunt as he tried to melt around it. She shoved his deformed figure aside, knowing that would keep him occupied for a while. In one movement, she turned and blinked, her eyes turning black with gold irises. The temperature dropped noticeably, the sky darkening.

She raised her hands and a swirl of darkness formed, spinning and flickering before her like a black hole, which in essence, it was. She slammed it into the large one and the tendrils of it sent him flying into a tree. It wrapped around him, dark fingers of a branching void crept up the man like claws, slowly strangling him. She whirled around, bringing her wrist above her head just as Sasuke's blade swung down on her. The wolf eye ring, ever present on her hand, was the only thing that prevented him from cutting off her hand. It cracked, but stayed intact, as she turned and kicked him back, making him stumble. Suddenly fire was everywhere, and it took her a moment to realize that Sasuke had initiated his fireball jutsu. She sucked in a deep breath, focusing her chakra into her lungs, and formed a seal, blowing into her hands. A dark void formed there, and she opened her hands, cupping them to her mouth and blowing straight against the fireball. It melted into the void immediately, compressing the flames into a small black ball, which entered her chest. She gave a small gasp as it did, feeling it hot against her heart.

"What was that?" Sasuke questioned, eyes wide even as a glint of greed flashed across his features. Ryoka counted down in her mind. _3… 2… 1… _Suddenly there was a colossal explosion and a sharp jolt in her chest as the same flames, once a fiery red, shot towards Sasuke as a new black fire. He was thrown back, but managed to catch a tree branch, swinging down and coughing from smoke.

He was done fighting, and the fourth member, the annoying female, seemed to have been knocked unconscious by the blast. She kept the large one restrained by her shadows, but stopped the strangling process, and ended her jutsu immediately, forcing the flames to extinguish themselves.

Ryoka wiped a trickle of blood from her eye. Amaterasu was dangerous to mess with. It was commonly believed that Amaterasu could only be used by those with the Sharingan, but there were many forms of the jutsu, each going by the same name. Though her fire would burn indefinitely until extinguished, she couldn't conjure it. She could only use fire that was already in existence to convert it into black flames similar to that of the original ability. It was something she had learned training with Natsuko. She glared at the Uchiha, wanting desperately to kill him right then and there, but she knew she wouldn't forgive herself if she didn't find out the facts first. So far everything had gone according to plan. She had to stick to it. She had two more days. She would spend her time very, very carefully. She watched disdainfully as the group members struggled to their feet, all of them visible in the clearing made from the fire.

Sasuke stood, glaring her down, and tensing like he was ready to fight. Suigetsu was struggling to his feet, and the large one had managed to tear away from the shadows clawing at his neck, and looked ready to kill.

"I'm going to the Hidden Rain," Ryoka informed them coldly. "I have no business with you. Any of you."

Sasuke smirked. "We are heading in that direction ourselves," he stated, crossing his arms. There was a silence.

"…what a coincidence," she murmured finally, her eyes darkening. The others watched in surprise. The two were acting like they hadn't just tried to force Ryoka along through fighting.

"We'll accompany you," Sasuke said in monotone. It wasn't a question, and he wasn't asking permission. Ryoka turned her back away from them, her lips twitching upward in a smile.

"Suit yourself."

* * *

One day was all it took. Ryoka had known her patience was stretched thin, but one day? How had the insufferable Uchiha managed to cross the line in _one day? _They had gone to a local bar. That in itself irked Ryoka. She had never liked crowded places, or places that generally had people in them at all for that matter. They had spent the night in a small hotel, With Sasuke and his companions taking turns staying awake all night, while she sat on the roof and ignored Karin's persistent questions on how she managed to stay awake all the time. She couldn't sleep if Gaara wasn't there. Not that she would ever tell the persistent red head. She wondered what Gaara was doing right then. He would have just finished dinner around this time. Knowing him, he would be heading towards his office to do paperwork around now. She smiled slightly at the thought of his usual work addict attitude. Her smile faded as familiar guilt settled in her stomach. She shouldn't have left without finding out what he was keeping from her. After this many years, Ryoka was pretty confidant Gaara wouldn't give up on her, or stop worrying about her, especially with Temari around, but the doubt was still there. Something just felt wrong that night, like she shouldn't be there. Like she should be in Suna. Ryoka shook her head. Gaara was strong, and he had a promise with her, just like she did with him. She would see him the day after tomorrow, and wouldn't leave again, whether she killed Sasuke or not.

It was later that day while Sasuke's group, team snake or something that sounded just as idiotic, followed Ryoka to the next town over. She called it following, because she refused to acknowledge them as traveling with her, and because it was true. They were following her, walking a few steps behind, obviously uncomfortable at the prospect of having their backs to the elite shinobi. Suigetsu had taunted and teased her the entire way, wearing her patience thin, and Karin's obsession with Sasuke, earning envious glares in her direction were equally annoying and uncalled for. She didn't say a word the entire time, proud of her self-control up to this point.

She stopped outside of a bar, debating whether or not is was worth it to get a glass of water, but it turned out she didn't end up being the one to decide. Karin and Suigetsu walked right in as if it was home away from home, and Sasuke's glare told her she wouldn't get away with staying outside, so she entered begrudgingly without complaint, Jugo and the Uchiha close behind. They sat at the bar, her in between Karin and Sasuke, to all of their displeasures. Ignoring the redhead's steady glare in her direction, Ryoka glanced at the bartender, who stiffened. He got a glass of water for her immediately, setting it in front of her with a polite bow.

"Is there anything else you require, Wanderer-sama?"

She shook her head, and he turned to Sasuke and his companions.

"Who would have thought a child like you would end up a legend," Sasuke droned casually, ordering a drink. Her gaze flicked to him, but she didn't answer, instead just suppressing a shudder at the way he casually addressed her.

"What was that jutsu you used?" he questioned, his eyes narrowing as she didn't answer. She blinked at her drink, debating whether it was worth it to drink a sip. Deciding she'd rather keep her face covered for the time being, she drummed her fingers against the table impatiently, wanting to leave.

"Answer him when he's talking to you!" Karin demanded obnoxiously, raising her hand to form a fist. Ryoka flicked her gaze to Karin, her glare daring her to say another word. Karin backed down. Wise of her.

"Sasuke-kun, why do we need her along?" Karin complained, tugging on the Uchiha's arm.

She turned to Ryoka. "Why is Sasuke-kun so interested in you? What makes you so special?" She pouted. Ryoka tried to relax, but this girl was metaphorically pushing her off the edge.

"I'm _taken," _Ryoka hissed in annoyance. Was Karin really that worried that Sasuke and she would have any form of a relationship? She was there when they had tried to kill each other. You'd think that was a big enough clue. Apparently even that wasn't enough to get through this girl's thick skull. Her jaw dropped, and even Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"Taken? Someone like you?" Karin asked disbelievingly. Ryoka closed her eyes, forcing herself to relax.

At least Jugo didn't talk much.

"By who?" Karin pressed. Ryoka almost growled at them. It was none of their business, but she had a feeling they wouldn't believe her or stop leaving her alone unless she told them.

"The Kazekage," she answered finally, waiting for their reactions. There was a moment of shocked silence.

Sasuke jerked away from her like he'd burned her. Karin's jaw dropped.

"What?!" she demanded. "You're joking."

"Him?" Sasuke snarled, not bothering to hide his disgust. Karin started firing questions at her, but she ignored all of them, clearly done talking. In fact, even as Karin kept talking, she paid the bartender and left, shaking her head. Sasuke was one hell of a companion selector. He managed to choose a smartass and a nuisance and still managed to be a jerk himself. She sensed the others following and sighed, rounding on them with a glare so cold that Karin actually took a step behind Sasuke.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her, unable to identify her expression beneath the mask but clearly recognizing the annoyance and murderous hatred in her eyes.

"What's this? Are you actually angry?" A small mocking smile rose to Sasuke's lips as he brushed past her, turning to face her and glaring into her eyes. He met his companions' eyes warningly.

"Leave us." They did so, Karin opening her mouth to protest, but Suigetsu shoving her along, telling her to get a move on.

"I thought you overcame your hatred," he murmured, his black eyes boring into hers. She couldn't look away, despite the fact that seeing his face awoke a deep sense of loathing in her so dark she was surprised this much hatred could register in her mind.

"Weren't you supposed to quench that hatred?" he mocked openly, eyes narrowing. "So, maybe, for once in your life, you were wrong."

It was her turn to narrow her eyes.

"Maybe, that was just the hatred of yourself that you got rid of," he mused, a scowl returning to his face.

"So essentially, you're still angry about your family's death…ne?"

Her teeth clenched. He was really pushing it with her. She knew what he was trying to do. He was trying to reignite the hate she felt over the past pains she had suffered, so that she could share Sasuke's pain and join him to help him find Uchiha Itachi, then maybe even find who was responsible for her family's death. It really was a brilliant plan, except for one thing. Sasuke was responsible for her family's death. So his plan was backfiring without his knowledge. It was making her want to end his life even more.

"You said your sister was dead, and she was all you had left." Ryoka stiffened.

"Help me find Itachi, and I will help you find who is responsible for your family's demise." That was it. Ryoka couldn't control herself. She just snapped.

It happened an instant. If Sasuke had blinked, he would have missed it. In a second she had closed the distance between them and tackled Sasuke to the ground, her knee on his chest and her hand tightening around his neck as she glared at him. She pulled down her mask, revealing her bared teeth.

"Lies," she hissed, the sound coming out more animal than human. "Tell me, _Sasuke," _she spat his name. "When exactly did you tell the ANBU that the Uchiha clan was in Kagegakure?"

He stared back at her calmly, the only indication he knew what she was talking about in the slight narrowing of his eyes.

"Did you even realize, that the blame for Kyoka's death lies on _you?" _Ryoka was trembling in rage. _Don't cry. Don't. _She never could say her sister's name without her eyes misting over. Not since the death.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he answered in monotone, his eyes blacker than bottomless pits.

"_What did you tell them, then?"_

"I was interrogated about the location of the Uchiha clan before they were wiped out," he droned. "I said the earliest traces of their history date back to a village that was rumored to be hidden in the shadows. Almost a year later the base in Konoha was wiped out."

So there it was. The truth. Fury ignited in Ryoka.

"_My family is dead because of you!"_

Sasuke's eyes widened a fraction. "Nani?"

Her voice was trembling as a tear danced down her cheek, quickly followed by another.

"They came to my village before yours," she snarled, her voice about to break. "They killed _everyone," _she hissed. Understanding crossed Sasuke's features.

"_They hunted down my sister because she was a survivor." _Something in Ryoka's voice changed, like a murderous anger full of loathing and pure, undiluted hatred had just been awoken. She raised her arm, a spiral a crackling black energy forming in her hand.

"Uchiha Sasuke," she whispered, her voice trembling with rage. "I'm going to kill you." She slammed her hand down just as a blunt impact hit her from the side, tackling her away from Sasuke, her attackers arms surrounding her and hitting her with brute force. The energy missed Sasuke by mere inches, but the resulting explosion was colossal, filling the street with a blinding flash of light. When the rubble cleared, Ryoka swore she would kill or destroy whoever or whatever had stopped her from killing Sasuke right then. She opened her eyes to come into direct eye contact with a familiar face, the boy pinning her down, much like she had been holding down Sasuke moments before, bright gold eyes glaring into determined ocean blue ones.

"Naruto," she hissed.

**Last Minute Author's Note: Wow, this chapter ended up kind of long... I hope you guys enjoyed it, since we'll be getting back to Naomi and Gaara next chapter (hopefully it won't be too long before the update) If you have any questions or if anything confused you guys, please let me know so I can fix it! Everything makes sense in my mind, but sometimes it doesn't transfer into words very well, so please get back to me if I mess up. Thanks, and again please please please keep reviewing; the positive and funny reviews I got over the last chapter made me update this one sooner:)**


	42. 42 No Longer Engaged

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! I won't be updating next week because I'll be in El Paso, but here's this chapter. Please review as always!**

Gaara stood very still, overlooking the calming desert of Suna. The rooftop was empty, and quiet. Gaara closed his eyes slowly, having finally sorted out his thoughts. It hadn't taken long, really, but he had needed a moment of calm meditation to reaffirm his place as the Kazekage, and as Ryoka's… how had Temari referred to it? Lover. That was the word she had chosen. It was slightly off, considering their somewhat necessity based relationship, but it was close enough. He turned and regally returned to his office, his footsteps all but silent on the carpeted floor.

He had just rounded the corner to his office when he came face to face with none other than Naomi herself.

"Higurashi-san," he quietly greeted her.

"Gaara-sama," she acknowledged him with a smile and a nod. "Are you busy right now?"

He nodded. Best to keep his distance until dinner that night, when he intended to explain the full situation and how the supposed marriage would not in actuality be taking place. Though he would never admit it to anyone other than himself, there was a small ache of emptiness in his chest that wanted Nadeshiko back as soon as possible. Today was her third day of absence, though it had felt like much longer.

"Alright well I'll see you later, okay?" She folded her hands behind her back and rocked backwards on her heels, smiling expectantly as she waited for his reply.

"Ah," he returned coolly, walking past her to his office. He entered the room closing the door behind him with a sigh. Just a few more hours and this entire mess would be in the past. He strode to his desk and sat in his chair, pulling a stack of paperwork in front of him. He had been much too negligent of his duties in the past couple of days due to Nadeshiko's absence. The stack of paperwork had grown to a point where it could no longer be ignored. He worked in silence for a full hour before a knock on the door interrupted his nearly impenetrable focus.

"Enter."

"Gaara?" Temari opened the door cautiously, guilt obvious in her features.

"What is it?" he questioned coolly, setting his pen down on the paper he had been filling out.

"I-I just wanted to apologize… about what I said earlier." Gaara's eyes flicked up to meet hers, but he made no comment.

"I didn't mean to imply that Naomi could ever replace Ryoka, especially after everything Ryoka has done for us. I just got carried away because Naomi seems so sweet and charming, and I thought it would be a nice change of atmosphere."

"Atmosphere?" Gaara questioned in a low voice, folding his hands and resting his chin on top of them, his emerald gaze steadily watching his elder sister, who shifted uncomfortably.

"I still think Naomi should be given a chance to prove herself, but I know that Ryoka is the one that really belongs at your side, so I-I'm sorry. I just don't think Ryoka realizes how much it hurts us when she leaves."

"This is the first time she has left in three years," he observed dryly. Temari broke his gaze, unable to hold his stare.

"I know," she mumbled. "I'm just always afraid that she won't come back."

"You are forgiven, Temari," Gaara answered suddenly. Temari looked up in surprise.

"A-Arigato, Gaara," she replied, a hesitant smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.

"I sent Naruto to talk to Nadeshiko so that she won't kill Sasuke," he informed her, carefully watching her to judge her reaction. She gasped.

"Why is she after the Uchiha?!" Temari demanded, her eyes widening in shock.

"She believes he is responsible for spreading the rumor that caused the destruction of her village."

"Is he?"

Gaara shook his head slowly.

"I do not know."

"Shouldn't we stop her?!"

Gaara scowled. "You know as well as I do that we can't leave Suna with the Akatsuki on the move again."

Temari frowned. "But why would they come here? You are no longer a jinchuriki, so they have nobody to target."

Gaara's scowl deepened. _Because I am not the only jinchuriki of Sunagakure, _he growled inwardly, slightly frustrated.

"They may target us for information about the other tailed beasts," he answered smoothly. "We must be careful."

"H-hai. I'll leave you to your work then, Gaara," Temari replied, clearly hearing the dismissal in his voice.

* * *

Dinner that night was more conversational than usual. Naomi arrived early, the first one sitting, and Kankuro and Temari joined soon after. Gaara came late, having finally finished the intimidating amount of paperwork that thankfully was no longer in existence. Naomi's father was last to arrive, his face an off shade of red, undoubtedly from over consumption of alcohol. Once dinner was served, the conversation started, as if the ultimate goal was for silence to be nonexistent for the remainder of the meal.

"So, how's life as the Kazekage?" Naomi's father boomed in a boisterous voice. Gaara's eyes slowly shifted to the intoxicated man.

"It has its ups and downs," he replied indifferently.

"Nonsense!" the man exclaimed. "I hear you're the talk of Suna these days! And to think my daughter would be the lucky one you will soon call your wife!"

"Father," Naomi interrupted, her voice chiding.

"I actually need to discuss that matter with all of you," Gaara said quietly.

"Isn't it exciting though? A fine lad of yourself no doubt will be extremely happy with my Naomi!" He waggled a finger at the Kazekage, a suggestive smile on his face.

"-And I'll be expecting several fine grandsons from the two of you!"

"Father!" Naomi protested. "If what I've heard is true, the wedding hasn't even been confirmed. I've heard everywhere that the Kazekage already has another interest at the time. Please don't assume such things."

The man opened his mouth to protest, but Gaara interrupted smoothly.

"Your daughter is correct. I do not have any current intention to marry, especially being this young and inexperienced. I need to focus on my political duty above all else."

Naomi's father's complexion turned a dangerous shade of purple.

"What's this?" he roared. "We get called by the council that my daughter is to be married to strengthen an alliance only to be told that it was a lie?"

"You were misinformed," Gaara replied coolly. "I will be discussing communication with the council here shortly, I assure you."

The man's face darkened thunderously. "Kazekage, this isn't because you are already seeing someone else besides my daughter is it?"

Temari and Kankuro inhaled nervously, staying perfectly silent, the atmosphere suddenly feeling very tense.

"That has no relation to my decision not to marry. We do not marry in Sunagakure to strengthen alliances. It simply isn't a tradition we believe in," Gaara's answer was polite, but a slight edge was creeping into it.

"You _are_ seeing someone else then!" He yelled, pointing an accusing finger.

"Father, that is no way to speak in front of the Kazekage!" Naomi insisted, but her father rounded on her.

"This is unacceptable!" he yelled. "We get called all the way to this damned village for you to be married and it all turns out to be some kind of- of hoax?!

"I apologize for the inconvenience," Gaara murmured, bowing his head slightly. "I will assist you in having as safe a journey home as possible."

"I-I think we'll be turning in early tonight," Naomi stammered, pulling her swearing father to his feet. "Thank you for dinner, Kazekage-sama, my deepest apologies for our behavior." Gaara nodded, accepting her apology, and watched in silence as she assisted her father back to his room, still muttering profanities under his breath.

Once they were gone, both Temari and Kankuro sighed simultaneously in relief.

"That was worse than I thought it would be," Kankuro muttered, taking a bite of food. Temari nodded, resting her hands behind her head.

"It could've been worse. I thought Naomi took it really well. I can't imagine how disappointed she is."

"Eh, it's alright. She'll get to go back home to her family and friends," Kankuro replied easily.

"Hm." Temari glanced down the hallway the two had left through, frowning slightly.

"I hope they will be ready for departure tomorrow," she murmured worriedly.

"It's done," Gaara said quietly. He stood, his eyes scanning the room briefly before landing on his siblings.

"I will turn in early tonight."

They nodded and he left the room, slowly making his way to his room. He stiffened slightly when he noticed Naomi waiting outside of his door.

"Gaara-sama," she greeted him, looking relieved and then guilty.

He stopped a few feet away from her.

"How did you know I was here?" he questioned slowly, his eyes boring into hers.

She shifted nervously, a small laugh escaping her lips.

"A servant told me this was where you went at night," she answered with a careful smile. Her eyes lowered to the ground.

"Gaara-sama, I cannot begin to tell you how sorry I am for my father's behav-"

"It is forgotten," he interrupted. Her eyes widened slightly and she opened her mouth to protest, but he cut her off by raising his hand. "It is not your place to apologize for someone else's actions. It is already forgotten."

"Thank you so much," she breathed, obviously relived. She looked as if a huge burden had been lifted off her shoulders.

"This was all a misunderstanding," he said quietly. "I apologize that you had to make the long journey here for nothing."

Her face was sad for a moment, but then it lit up with another happy smile.

"That's okay," she replied brightly. "I'm glad I got to meet you."

He didn't meet her eyes, instead looking over her shoulder, staring at nothing.

"Th-there was one other thing I wanted to apologize for," she admitted suddenly, rocking back and forth nervously.

He glanced at her.

"I-I'm sorry I acted so rashly last night. It really wasn't my place at all to do something like that, and I swear I won't do anything like that again without your permission, Gaara-sama."

He nodded once. "I am at fault for the miscommunication that brought you here," the Kazekage answered. If there is anything I can do for you before you leave, please let me know."

He had meant for that statement to simply be polite, but her face brightened considerably at the offer.

"Ne, Gaara-sama, as I said I won't do anything without your permission, but… since I won't be allowed to marry you, d-do you think I could just give you a kiss goodbye?"

Gaara stiffened as he felt her hand on his arm.

He turned to face her, finding her face much closer than he was comfortable with.

"You know I can't do that," he sighed.

"Please?" she whispered. "I'll be gone before the week is over, and you won't ever be bothered with me again, but please, just for my sake, let me kiss you once knowing that you don't hate me."

"Higurashi-san…" Gaara took a step back from her, leaning against the wall. "That isn't something I can do for you."

A tear danced down her cheek, and she hastily wiped it away.

"Please, Gaara-sama," she begged. "I don't want to leave like this, having come all this way just to be turned away by you. Please don't leave me alone."

At the word alone, Gaara's head snapped around, his eyes meeting hers, more conflicted than he had been in years. He knew what it felt like to be alone. By not kissing her, would he be sentencing her to the same fate? He refused to be the reason for another to be left alone. But… why this? Why couldn't she choose some other form of repayment? He sighed, and reluctantly took her tear stained face in his hands. Her eyes widened, her lips parting to a slight 'o' as he leaned towards her. He kept the kiss very short, his lips just briefly pressing against hers before he pulled away from her embrace. She stood very still, her eyes filling with happy tears.

"Arigato," she whispered. "Thank you so much, Gaara-sama."

**Last Minute Author's Note: I know, I know, I did it again, but just wait. There is a very good reason for what is going on, and I am 95% sure that you won't be disappointed. Please Review! Thanks(:**


	43. 43 Taken

**Author's Note: Hey guys! Here's chapter 43, I know I said I would be gone in El Paso, but I kind of got really sick, so that gave me time to write for all of you! Sadly, my story will be coming to a close in the near future, but all good things must end sometime, right? And you all can look forward to the video I will include at the last chapter, so please review as always, and thanks for all of the positive feedback!**

* * *

"Naruto," she hissed.

Ryoka roughly shoved the blonde off of her, struggling to get to her feet as Sasuke's eyes narrowed at the two of them.

"Ryoka-chan, please stop!" Naruto requested earnestly, eyes going back and forth between the Uchiha and the Wanderer.

"Who sent you here?" she snarled, a blade of dark energy forming in her hand as she shifted her gaze to glare at him.

He raised his hands as an act of surrender.

"Tsunade obaa-san sent me! She said that Gaara needed me to do a mission!"

_Gaara. _

"Gaara sent you?" she hissed, eyes narrowing dangerously. This discussion wasn't over, but she had not come all this way just to be stopped by Naruto. A flash of electricity from the corner of her eye caught her attention. Her head turned just in time to see Sasuke direct a stream of lightning towards her. She ducked, dodging it by mere inches. Instinct took over, and in an instant she appeared behind the Uchiha, whirling around and slamming her foot into his back. He slammed into the ground, hard, and his eyes widened slightly, the normally dark irises shifting to bright red.

_Sharingan._

Avoiding looking directly into his eyes, she backed away, forming a wave of energy and slamming it in his direction. He leaped over it and tackled her to the ground, pinning her by her neck.

She glared over his shoulder, avoiding his eyes.

"Sasuke! Stop!" Neither of them were paying any attention to Naruto.

"Every jutsu has a weakness," Sasuke snarled. "You can't be invincible."

He was right, but there was no way she was about to explain her strengths and weaknesses just to satisfy his curiosity.

"_Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" _Several Narutos suddenly appeared around them, just as Ryoka kicked Sasuke off of her, reversing their positions so that she was the one holding him down.

One of the clones tried to pull her off of Sasuke and she sent several dark energy shurikens spinning towards them, effectively removing all of the fakes and pinning the real Naruto to the wall of the bar.

She turned her attention back to Sasuke, her fury igniting once again.

"How did you know?" she snarled. "Who told you that there were traces of the Uchiha clan in Kagegakure?"

For a moment she didn't think he would respond.

Finally, he opened his mouth to speak.

"All of us are taught our origins as soon as we enter the academy," he answered finally. So that was it. He had heard that there were traces of the Uchiha in Kagegakure, and told the ANBU when they interrogated him.

"I hate you," she hissed, raising her arm. Another massive spiral of energy flickered in her hand.

"Are you going to kill me?" he asked tonelessly, his eyes gleaming.

"Ryoka-chan, you can't!" Naruto's voice cut through her, and her hand hesitated, poised above the Uchiha.

"Why not?" she hissed, her eyes never leaving Sasuke's. "Why shouldn't I? My family is dead because of him."

"Nothing will change even if you get revenge on him!" Naruto yelled, struggling against the shadow shuriken.

"All you will get is self-satisfaction! You have to confront your hatred, that's what it means to be a shinobi, right?"

Ryoka didn't answer, her hand trembling as she stared down, wide eyed.

"There's already too much hate in the world, Ryoka-chan," Naruto continued earnestly. "Try to understand him before you continue that cycle of hatred!"

"_What is there to understand?" _she demanded, a tear falling from the corner of her eye and dancing down her cheek.

"You're better than this, Ryoka-chan," he persuaded, his voice gentler. "You don't have to kill him."

Didn't she? Her sister's face flashed before her eyes, golden hair, bright blue eyes, that never fading smile. How could she forgive herself if she didn't kill the Uchiha? Her mother, her father, her brother… What would they say if they saw her now?

Another tear glittered down her cheek as she slammed her hand to the ground, just in time to see Sasuke's eyes widen slightly in shock.

She had missed. Purposely. A crater the size of a bowling ball had appeared next to Sasuke's head where she had slammed her fist into the ground. She was shaking, small gasps making her shudder.

"So you couldn't do it," Sasuke observed coolly, his eyes returning to the color of a bottomless void.

She stood shakily.

"Get out of here," she snarled at him. "If I see you again, I _will _kill you."

Sasuke struggled to his feet, sending both of them one final glare before vanishing.

She released the energy pinning Naruto to the wall of the bar and he fell to the ground with a muffled grunt. She sat down, wrapping her arms around her knees, trying to calm herself down.

"Ne, Ryoka-chan, I know this is really hard for you, but you did the right thing," Naruto said gently, kneeling next to her.

She raised her head long enough to look at him.

"I still don't know if I didn't do it because I was too weak to, or… or because I was strong enough not to," she whispered, resting her chin on her hands.

Naruto flashed her one of his confident smiles, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I think we both know the answer to that, Ryoka-chan," he said cheerfully. She looked at him, slightly in awe. She doubted anyone else could have convinced her to spare Sasuke's life. What an incredible personality he had.

"A-Arigato, Naruto-kun," she replied hesitantly. "I'm sorry you had to go through all of this trouble."

He looked at her in surprise.

"Eh, it's nothing…" he replied with a blush, scratching the back of his head, "But hey, I think you should hurry back to Gaara, since it's been a while since you were with him, right?"

She nodded, a small smile appearing on her face.

"Ah," she answered. "See you later, Naruto-kun." She stood and walked away, smiling a bit when he waved goodbye. Normally it would be a three day return trip to Suna, but she was the Wanderer, and if she pushed herself, she could almost certainly meet her deadline of arriving tomorrow. She was a bit nervous about traveling. Sasuke had been right. Every jutsu did have a weakness. She manipulated darkness, and logically, the weakness of her jutsu was light. The sun in particular exhausted her when she overexerted herself, and a full day of traveling in the desert was going to have a major negative impact on her health, but she would persevere through it regardless. She would not break her three day deadline.

Despite her act of being in perfect health after her fight with Sasuke, it was impossible to say that she had remained unscathed throughout the ordeal.

The simmering heat of the sun made her all too aware of the minor scrapes and cuts she had received during her journey. She kept running through the barren, sandy landscape, not stopping even as she felt her chakra drain away. It wouldn't matter if she wasn't in fighting condition when she reached Gaara. She would be with him again. A smile touched the corners of her lips. She was coming home.

The journey was excruciatingly exhausting, to say the least, and even Natsuko's voice in her mind was fading to little more than a whisper as her energy was drained, but she kept running, her stubborn determination pushing through. When night fell, she didn't pause to rest, instead using the blessed relief of the cool night to push her speed to its limits, traveling quickly without pause. When the sun rose again the next morning, she was seeing stars. Her breath was coming in short gasps, and the sun seemed to be shining impossibly brighter, almost blinding her. She slowed to a walk when Suna grew visible in the distance. She was swaying dangerously, her exhaustion nearly peaked, but her home was in sight. It was still far, only visible because of the relative flatness of the desert, but it was there all the same. Her eyes were clouding over, but she kept walking, her feet continuously taking steps regardless of her condition. She was shaking slightly, and she knew she was pushing it too far, but she had to see Gaara that night. She just had to.

She stood at the gates of Suna about an hour before sundown, using the last bit of energy she possessed to leap from rooftop to rooftop, swinging carefully through the window of the Kazekage's quarters. The guards outside tensed when they saw her, but relaxed when they recognized her.

"Welcome back, Nadeshiko-sama," they greeted her officially. She nodded, too tired to argue about the unnecessary honorifics.

She walked down the hall, her heart beating faster when she heard Gaara's voice.

Would he be angry? If so, now was the time to make up for it. She turned the corner, and her heart stopped.

The Kazekage was standing against the wall, holding a girl's face in his hands, and as she watched, leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. Ryoka froze in pure shock. Her mind was blank. Should she turn and leave like she had seen nothing? She couldn't move even if she wanted to.

"Arigato," the girl whispered. "Thank you so much, Gaara-sama."

Ryoka almost gagged. Was this her punishment for leaving him? Karma for trying to get revenge for her family? She wanted to throw up then and there.

* * *

Gaara sensed a figure in the hallway, and he tensed. If that was Temari or Kankuro, he was never going to hear the end of this. He turned his head slightly, eyes shifting to the silhouette, and his eyes widened. It wasn't Temari, and it wasn't Kankuro. No, it was much, much worse. It was Ryoka.

She wasn't in good condition. Her face was scratched, she was paler than usual, and her eyes looked dull and tired. Even her balance seemed off. What had happened when she confronted the Uchiha?

He released Naomi immediately, guilt swelling up in his stomach. Had Ryoka seen…?

"Nadeshiko," he greeted her quietly. Her reaction was enough to tell him exactly how much she had seen, and it made him feel more self-hatred than he had in years. She flinched. Just at the sound of his voice calling her name. Her face looked stricken just for an instant. It was a subtle movement, just a slight recoil, but it had told him more than enough. He tried to start again.

"Nadeshiko, this isn't-"

Her face smoothed over perfectly as she interrupted him.

"Sorry to interrupt, Kazekage-sama," she murmured softly, eyes lowering to the ground. She walked forward, moving past him.

"I'm just passing through," she finished, walking down the hall. Gaara turned, eyes following her. He wished she would get angry, shout at him, accuse him of something so that he could explain, but was that it? She was just going to keep walking?

He needed to follow her, tell her what was really going on, but suddenly he felt a hand on his arm, much more persistent than he would have preferred.

"Ne, Gaara-sama, will you show me to my room?" Naomi asked suddenly. "I don't remember where it is."

"Ask a servant," he answered coolly, his eyes still searching for Ryoka. Had she turned left or right after leaving the hallway?

"But since you're here right now, would you mind?" she persisted, tugging him along. He pulled his arm from her grip, slightly more roughly than he should've.

"I have something to attend to," he snapped. "I'm sure you can find your way."

He left her standing in the hallway, looking around the corner. Ryoka was nowhere in sight.

* * *

Ryoka walked as if in a trance. There had to be a good explanation, right? Gaara wouldn't just kiss someone without a good reason… would he? Had he simply not wanted to be around her anymore? If so, then why not just tell her? Who was she? She needed rest. She was about to go unconscious. She rounded another corner and ran straight into someone, hitting them with a blunt impact that sent her stumbling backwards.

"Oi, watch where you're going, hm," a deep and hauntingly familiar voice scolded. She raised her eyes to meet the gaze of none other than the Akatsuki member that had killed Gaara.

He wasn't alone. There were two others, one man with grey skin and pointed teeth, slits cut into his neck like gills, and a large sword wrapped on his back. The other was a tall, dark haired man, with eyes darker than Sasuke's. She backed away, a snarl building in her throat, but she was in no condition to fight.

"Kisame, don't let her scream, hm," Deidara muttered, throwing a swing towards Ryoka. She dodged, swinging her leg around to kick the blonde into the wall, her hands automatically forming a seal. Crackling dark energy formed in her hand and she punched the fish man, Kisame, in the face, the energy weak, but earning the criminal a broken nose. He swore and grabbed her by the waist, throwing her against the ground. She rolled, seeing stars and whirled around in time to see Deidara release a small white object that fluttered by her face. As if in slow motion, she turned and ducked just as the object exploded, slamming her against the wall. Stunned, she lay on the ground as she felt someone pick her up off the ground, their muted voices pounding through her aching skull. If she had just rested for one night… they wouldn't have stood a chance.

"That could have been a lot messier, hm," the blonde muttered.

"That bitch," Kisame swore, holding his bloody nose.

"Let's leave," the dark haired one ordered. "Half of Sunagakure will have heard that explosion."

"Ryoka-sensei!" Another familiar voice cried.

_Satoru… _

"Let her go!" Satoru demanded, forming a seal.

Ryoka shifted slightly to the side, and pain exploded behind her eyes, making everything go black.

* * *

"Kazekage-sama!" Gaara turned slightly as he sensed a boy running towards him. That boy… Ryoka's student. Dark hair, and bright emerald eyes… he was certain of it.

"What are you doing?" Satoru demanded, eyes wide in disbelief.

"What are you talking about?" Gaara questioned in monotone.

"Don't you care about Ryoka-sensei at all?" Satoru yelled, hands balling into fists. Gaara stiffened. Of course he did. That's why he was looking for her. This ignorant child…

"Why aren't you doing anything?!"

"Where is she?" Gaara questioned, glaring at the boy. Satoru froze.

"You don't know?" he asked hollowly, his eyes widening in despair.

Judging by Gaara's expression he clearly didn't.

"Ryoka was just taken," Satoru's voice was trembling. "By the Akatsuki." He spat the last word.

Gaara froze.

**Last Minute Author's Note: To be perfectly honest, I was slightly sad when a couple of you guessed what was going to happen, but then I figured, hey, none of them have guessed this end of the plot twist, so I'm curious as to what you guys think will happen next now that Ryoka's been taken by the Akatsuki. Seriously bad timing, wasn't it? Well anyways please review what you think, and also the time has come for me to include one more OC, (the last one of my story) so if any of you have specific requests for name, gender, appearance, personality, etc., please PM me a description of the character and I'll choose one to include in the story, with a shoutout that the character was yours. Thanks! **


	44. 44 Hopeless

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! I know it's been a little while, but it was worth it, because now I've got everything put in motion to finish out this story! I'm not quitting, I promise, I'm actually writing through the end of the plotline, so no worries because there will be a genuine ending rather than a cut off point. There's still a few more chapters to go, so I hope you enjoy them! Here's chapter 44, and please review as always**

Is this what heartbreak feels like? Ryoka's eyes moved listlessly beneath her lids. It wasn't as painful as it had sounded. She felt numb. Like all of the life had somehow been sucked out of her body. There was a dull pounding in her head, and a hard ache in her chest, and that was it. She couldn't feel anything else. Her thoughts blended together, forming incoherent ideas and responses in her mind. A flash of a memory here, a blur of a thought there, but nothing was making sense. What had happened? Someone had called her name. A friend? …Yes, it had been a friend.

A student.

What was his name? His face flickered through her mind's eye.

…Satoru... Satoru had called her name.

There had been others… Dangerous people… she saw black cloaks with bloodred clouds. A pair of eyes had matched those clouds. A man… a man with gills, and teeth that had been sharpened to points. Who else had been there? Thinking was beginning to hurt. It increased the pounding in her skull. Oh. There had been another. She had recognized him. The man that had killed Gaara. A jolt of fiery pain seared through her body when the name came to her mind. She reflexively blocked it out. Don't think his name, she told herself. Even as the blood red hair and mesmerizing emerald eyes presented themselves in her broken thoughts, she rejected the name that caused such a shocking pain. Think about something else. Or don't think at all.

They had taken her from Suna. Those cloaked men. The… Akatsuki. That was their name. She was sure of it.

Where was she now?

Traveling, no doubt. She could feel wind, caressing her face. She should open her eyes. Had they drugged her? The command to open her eyes seemed to be traveling to her brain in a sluggish fashion, as well as her senses feeling dull and muddled. She forced her eyes open just slightly, peering through her lashes at what was around her. She was on a bird. It wasn't alive. It was made of earth. She could see a single wing flapping steadily from her position. There was wire tied around her wrists, she could tell it was wire, not rope, because of the beads of blood dripping into her hands. The metallic, coppery smell made her want to gag, but she stayed very still. They hadn't covered her mouth. She forced her eyes open a little wider, and her headache grew more intense. Her thoughts were rapidly clearing. How had they known? How had they known she was a jinchuriki? Who could've told them? The only ones who knew were Granny Chiyo, who had died, Kakashi, who had not been approached by the Akatsuki, and Saki, who would rather die herself than betray the only other survivor of Kagegakure. The Akatsuki shouldn't know. She felt a sudden jolt as the bird landed roughly on the ground. She rolled off, landing on her feet, but collapsing to her knees when her legs gave out beneath her. How long had she been out?

"It appears you've woken up, hm," the blonde one, Deidara, she recalled, muttered. She didn't try to stand up again. It wasn't worth it. She had completely drained her chakra trying to get back to Ga- trying to get back to Suna, and she didn't know how long it had been since she had eaten.

"We didn't expect it to be this easy," the shark-like member muttered, approaching with the dark eyed man.

"Yeah, right, Kisame. She broke your nose, hm." Deidara ducked as Kisame took a swing at him.

"Urusai," he growled.

"Get her inside," the dark one ordered in a low voice. "We have work to do."

"Hai, hai, no need to be a killjoy, Itachi," Deidara muttered. He grabbed Ryoka's arm and pulled her to her feet, pushing her along to a small underground building surrounded on all sides by sparse, empty desert land. She walked along willingly, stumbling a bit when he shoved her into a small room completely built of concrete, the only furnishing being a hard stone bench and a doorway that had a door made up of steel bars. He locked her in, eyeing her distastefully before leaving. She laid down on the bench, cutting the wire that bound her wrists on a rusty nail sticking out of the wall. It was cold, despite being in the desert. Time passed. How much time, Ryoka didn't know, and neither did she care. It could've been an hour, it could've been a week, a month… For an eternity, she just lied on that stone bench, eyes dull and half open, half wondering, half not caring when they were going to interrogate and then kill her. That was what they did to jinchuriki, right? Killed them. Not that she really cared anymore. She stayed in that half conscious state, not moving until she saw a figure standing tall and dark next to her. She didn't bother focusing her gaze. It was Itachi. Another Uchiha. It seemed she couldn't escape the Sharingan users as of late.

He held a cup out to her. She didn't move, continuing to lie motionless as if she were a part of the stone she rested on.

"Drink," he ordered quietly, his voice no less threatening without volume. She just stared through him, as if he wasn't there. As far as she was concerned, he wasn't.

"Starving yourself will not save you," he informed her. "Complying to our wishes is the most efficient method to ensure your survival. I suggest you eat something. We will question you later this evening."

He set the cup on the ground and exited, locking the door behind him. She heard them talking outside her door, but took in nothing.

"…hasn't moved for two days, hm."

"Don't see what could be wrong with her. Doesn't matter as long as we get the Kazekage to come, right?"

"Yeah. When he comes for her we'll interrogate him about where the seven and eight tails are. Those are the only two we haven't located, so it's only a matter of time, hm."

"Maybe she knows something. We'll just get her to talk tonight."

"That child has lost the will to live. I doubt you will be able to extract information from her, Kisame."

"How can you tell, Itachi?"

"It is something you learn to recognize when surrounded by death."

There was a silence.

"Well, pain tends to loosen the tongue, eh?"

"We shall see."

Ryoka blinked slowly. They thought that Gaara- she winced …was coming for her? What a joke.

He was probably relieved she was gone. He could focus on his duties and not worry about an old promise he felt obligated to keep. He could stay with that woman, no doubt a high ranking lady of authority, rather than a beaten down eighteen year old who barely passed as a human. Itachi was right. She had lost the will to live. What was there to live for?

He's still alive, a small thought in her mind murmured. You can protect him even though he hurt you. Ryoka would've laughed if she had the energy. She was useless now. It would take at least a week to recover the strength she had lost. And judging by her kidnappers' schedule, time was something she wouldn't be having. Pain loosens the tongue? Good luck with that, Kisame. She would be impressed if he could inflict half the pain she had felt at once.

Blood ran down her arm, dripping off her fingertips and landing with a sickening splash in the expanding pool beneath her feet. Kisame was getting frustrated. He never admitted it, but she could tell, because he tended to cut deeper when he was angry, while he would inflict lighter, teasing cuts when he was entertained.

"What do you know about the eight tails?" he asked through clenched teeth, not for the first time. Ryoka was only mildly impressed. He had inflicted more pain than she had expected of him, enough to make her cry out once or twice, but whether from blood loss or mental exhaustion, her body grew more numb and cold with every cut. He picked her up by the neck, and blood ran from the side of her mouth as air was forced from her lungs.

"Answer… me…" he hissed. She closed her eyes. Was this what dying felt like? Why did it hurt now? She felt his fingers unclench and she dropped to the floor on hands and knees, seeing stars.

She felt something strange stirring within her. She had never felt this sick before. She gagged, but there was nothing in her stomach. She threw up, coughing, and almost fainted seeing nothing but bile and blood on the floor. She fell backwards, stumbling into the wall and sliding to the ground, gasping. Suddenly there was a click and the door opened. Itachi looked at the mess in the room and his scowl deepened.

"I will be taking charge of your interrogation from now on," he announced darkly.

**Last Minute Author's Note: Okay, so that's that. I really don't care for this chapter, being all sad and painful, but it's necessary for me to continue, so here it is. My last two chapters are actually my favorite chapters, but you'll have to wait a little bit for them. Also, I didn't get any character descriptions for the final oc, so I opted him out, and he isn't part of the story anymore. Thanks as always and please review! **


	45. 45 Escape

**Author's Note: Hello again, readers! I don't even know if you guys read author's notes, but just an update that the video I mentioned a really long time ago **_**will **_**be posted on the final chapter. I did not forget, and have been working hard to make it worth your while. Happy almost fourth of July! Alright well I don't want to take any more time from you, so happy reading!**

When Ryoka finally opened her eyes, she felt different, as if a heavy smothering weight had been lifted, leaving her thoughts clearer and her mind lighter. Of course, that didn't change the fact that she had nothing left to live for. The second thing she noticed was that she felt restrained to the extreme. She examined her body to discover that most of her was tightly wrapped in fresh bandages. She was wrapped from wrist to elbow on both arms, as well as her entire torso, shoulders, and ankles. That would make moving difficult, not that she was planning on going anywhere. The third thing she noticed held her attention. The man occupying the room she was in. Itachi, she recalled. She knew almost nothing about him, other than the fact that his eyes much too closely resembled Sasuke's, and that said Uchiha was aiming to kill him, which led her to harbor an intense dislike for the man. He peered down at her darkly.

**Brat! Wake up!**

Ryoka's head snapped around in shock. It had been a long time since she had heard that voice.

_N.. Natsuko…_

**What the hell are you doing?**

She hesitated, feeling slight guilt. Would Natsuko die if she died? She didn't want him to. Then she remembered. He would be released if she died. Oh, well that was good then. He would have a chance to be free.

**Stop thinking like that, you have to get out of here. **_**Now. **_

Itachi blinked slowly, and suddenly his eyes swiveled, changing from pitch black to a deep bloodred.

_**Look away! **_Natsuko ordered.

It was too late for that, even if she had wanted to. Ryoka's surroundings faded, replaced by a moonlit street.

_I couldn't… hear you, _she murmured.

**They drugged you. My voice couldn't reach you. **

Itachi appeared and advanced on her, but she made no move to step away.

"What do you know about the seven tails?" Itachi questioned, his eyes blazing red.

Ryoka's eyes widened a fraction as his question actually registered in her mind. They didn't know. _They didn't know that she was a jinchuriki. _

She met Itachi's eyes wearily.

Did it matter? Even if they found out, they would just kill her. And if they didn't find out? They would kill her when they realized that Ga- she flinched inwardly –that nobody was coming after her. Natsuko growled deep in his throat.

**I'm going to kill him. Shukaku was bad enough, and now this… The host is worse than the demon. **

Ryoka didn't have the energy to defend the one person that made her feel so hopeless.

"Let me ask a question I know you have an answer to," Itachi suggested coolly, bringing her attention back to the fake reality.

"What do you know about Sabaku no Gaara?"

Ryoka flinched violently at the name and Itachi's expression shifted slightly. It was the first time she had reacted to anything they had said.

"So you are not completely despondent to your surroundings," he observed. She raised her head to look at him.

An image of the Kazekage kissing the girl presented itself in Ryoka's mind and she convulsed slightly. This did not go unnoticed by Itachi.

"What is the Kazekage to you?"

**Tell him, **Natsuko suggested. She rejected the idea without a second thought. This sharingan user… this _Uchiha… _had nothing to do with her. If she died by his hands then so be it.

**Why?! **Natsuko demanded. **You are strong. Perhaps even stronger than **_**him. **_**Throwing your life away is not the way for you to respond to this! So what if the Kazekage didn't realize what he had? He should be the one in pain right now, not you! Your life isn't trash. When are you going to realize that you're actually worth something?**

Ryoka just stared through Itachi like he wasn't there.

"Answer me," the Sharingan user ordered coolly.

He made several shuriken appear and imbed themselves in her torso, knocking her to the ground. A small, insane laugh bubbled out of her mouth even as pain shot through her body.

Itachi's eyes narrowed. "What's so funny?"

"Uchiha… Itachi," she spit out, the smile still on her face. Her head rolled to the side, and she watched red drip down her body, fascinated by the blood.

"All… this work," she gasped out, feeling blood clog her throat. "For... nothing... What did I ever… accomplish?"

Now she was speaking both to Natsuko and Itachi, her voice gurgling slightly with an insane, high lilt.

"_I couldn't protect my mother…. Or my father… or my brother… or my friends…" _she coughed, blood dripping from her mouth.

"_I couldn't protect Kyoka, I let down Temari-san… and Kankuro-san… because I always left them. I got tortured before, too, and I had… to be rescued."_

Now that she had started talking, she couldn't stop, her smile freezing on her face as her eyes began to fill with tears.

"_I let down my student, and… Itachi-san… I tried to kill your little brother…" _Itachi stiffened.

"Nani?" he questioned darkly, his voice low and dangerous.

"_Now I'm just… back… where I started."_

"_I just made mistake… after mistake… and then, I let down… Ga…ara," _she forced herself to choke out the name, even as her smile faded and real tears rolled down her cheeks.

Natsuko was silent for a long time.

**You don't think you have accomplished anything? Nothing at all? **The demon asked incredulously.

**You became a ninja even when Kagegakure feared you. You saved countless lives. You became one hell of a legend and saved the Kazekage's life. You even convinced a demon to become a comrade. What did you **_**not **_**accomplish, brat?**

_Ga..ara, _she forced the name. _ –doesn't need me anymore. I protected… him. Now I don't… need… to. He doesn't need… me at his side. What else… am I supposed to do, Natsuko? I don't care if I live or die. He is safe, and he is happy. If he's happy… then I'm happy too…_ she had to choke that bit out._ I just don't want to live to see her with him._

Natsuko paused.

**You get insane when you're jealous, **he noted dryly.

She didn't answer, but closed her eyes as the pain from the shuriken set in. Was it really fake? She found it hard to believe. Natsuko snorted in contempt, but it was half hearted.

**Don't be so selfish.**

Ryoka stiffened. Selfish?

**You think that just because the Kazekage is with another girl you can just go off and let yourself die? Don't kid yourself.**

Natsuko's voice turned icy.

**That girl is probably about as strong as a dandelion. The idiot still needs you to protect him, right? So protect him. Just because you aren't his love interest doesn't mean you can just sit around and wait for an Uchiha to kill you off. **

Ryoka sat up. Was Gaara's new girlfriend even a ninja? Itachi eyed her and suddenly the sky turned bloodred, the buildings turning black. Ravens shrieked in the sky above her, but Ryoka was oblivious, forcing her tired mind to think.

_But he's the Kazekage; he can protect himself. He still controls the sand to an extent that far surpasses most shinobi._

**And as soon as a strong enough water user comes along, he's dead, **Natsuko retorted.

_My jutsu can counteract all of the elements, except…_

**Light, **he finished for her. **Your only weakness is light, and there are next to no shinobi that use light as their weapon. You fight to protect. It's about time you started acting like it.**

Determination returned to Ryoka and she quickly stood up, only to have a wave of dizziness and nausea come over her. She collapsed on the spot, but Itachi caught her before her head hit the ground.

"Sabaku no Gaara," he ordered, low and demanding. There was a quiet fury in his eyes.

"Tell me everything you know about him."

"…over my dead body," she snarled back at him. His eye twitched.

"So be it," he answered. A kunai appeared and he plunged it into her chest, letting her fall to the ground. Ryoka gasped in pain. That was a new one.

"You've regained your purpose," Itachi observed quietly. "You can't hold out forever."

_Watch me, _Ryoka thought, glaring daggers at him.

"What makes you think that Uchiha Sasuke is a relative of mine?"

_He told me. _

She coughed, spitting blood into the grass. A raven landed on her shoulder, it's slanted, beady eyes staring her down. She shoved it off of her and it exploded into a rain of razor sharp needles, several of them imbedding themselves in her arm as she raised it to protect her face. She gritted her teeth, glaring. She wasn't giving up this time.

"I can make this time last forever, or I can make it only a moment, but that decision rests upon you," Itachi informed her coolly, though fire was raging in his eyes.

"_What do you know about Sabaku no Gaara?"_

Ryoka coughed. "He's a better man… than you'll ever be."

She heard Natsuko snort in disagreement. Itachi twitched.

"You are naïve," he droned in a low voice.

"Am I?" she asked, meeting his stare as evenly as she could. Even if everything she considered this man to be was wrong and somehow he was in actuality a valiant and true shinobi, Gaara would still be superior. Even if it was only in her heart and mind, he would always, _always, _be superior. Even if it hurt to admit it. Itachi was glaring at her with an intensity that rivaled her own stares. She almost blacked out, several times, but the genjutsu pulled her back.

"You want to know about the seven tails…" she coughed again, wondering how much blood she could lose in this world.

Natsuko inhaled sharply. **Don't!**

"It will be the darkest, deadliest thing you've ever experienced, and it will be the last," she promised, her gold eyes bright in anger and defiance. Something in Itachi's expression changed.

"You," he said simply, his eyes narrowing.

Natsuko swore, angrily leaping to his feet from the confines of his fiery cage.

"You are the jinchuriki."

Ryoka was breathing heavily, but it felt like no air was making it to her lungs.

"If you're going to kill us, then get it over with," she snarled.

"Us," he repeated calmly. "You are on good terms with the demon?"

She put a hand to her head, wincing, as Natsuko continued to shout profanities at her stupidity.

_Not quite._

He turned and the genjutsu vanished, returning to the walls of her cell.

"I need you to tell me one more thing," he requested. She blinked. He hadn't demanded it. This time he was requesting.

"You said you tried to kill Sasuke…"

"Did I succeed?" she guessed, her voice faint from the chilling and painful experience.

He waited for her answer, nodding in confirmation that that was indeed what he wanted to know.

"Uchiha Sasuke is alive," she whispered. "But he won't be if he crosses me again."

Itachi was silent for a moment, his expression giving away nothing, before he spoke once again.

"You say that like you will make it out of this building alive."

Ryoka didn't answer, she allowed the soothing darkness of unconsciousness wash over her, a small smile on her face as she sank into a void of nothing. If she didn't die now, she was going to protect Gaara. Natsuko was right. It was selfish to think that she could abandon him just because he betrayed her. Just because he hurt her didn't mean she didn't still care.

* * *

Ryoka woke up to water being dripped between her dry, cracked lips. When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see that Deidara was standing above her, not Itachi. He was holding a damp cloth over her face, allowing water to drip in her mouth, cooling her tongue. The water awakened her thirst like a fiery monster clawing at her throat. Without even a bit of water for two days, it had been relatively easy to drift off into a kind of stupor, not really taking note of her condition, but now that a few drops of water had cooled her tongue, the thirst was there, as were the sharp hunger pains.

Deidara looked bored and somewhat put out, as if this were a chore he would rather _not_ be doing. She slowly tried to push herself up, and heard a bit of what he was muttering to himself.

"-shouldn't have to try to keep her alive," he grumbled. "Not my fault if she wants to starve herself, hm."

She saw a bowl of water on the ground and slowly picked it up. Deidara jumped, startled. He hadn't realized that she had come to.

"Drink your own water, hm!" he demanded angrily, jumping to his feet and storming out. She almost smirked.

_Well if you insist, _she thought to herself. She picked up the bowl, and when she was sure she wasn't being watched, slowly drank the water, sips at a time. Her chakra had replenished itself in the time she had been unresponsive, but her body was still weak. She could visibly see the toll it had taken on her body. She had become too thin, her ribs a bit _too _prominent. She was also much paler than usual, and that was saying something. Her skin had an almost grey tint to it, but she was sure that would change after eating. They had increased her food portions after realizing she wasn't eating, so the tray in her room actually provided a decent sized meal. All of her weapons had been taken from her, but that was understandable. She rarely used weapons anyways. She had briefly been worried when she realized her chakra was sealed, but slipping through things had always been her specialty. Her captors had been careless and allowed the seal to weaken when she had neglected to put up a fight, so with combined effort from Natsuko she managed to break it within the hour. Natsuko was not eager to help, and was still muttering profanities at her idiocy, but that would pass over time.

The good food and water did wonders for her energy. She needed to leave quickly. Once Itachi told the others that she was a jinchuriki, she would surely be either killed on the spot, or taken somewhere else to be killed. She walked back and forth in her room, regaining her circulation with every pace. As long as she was left alone for a couple of hours, she could leave without incident. Her body was weak, and it would be difficult to travel through the desert, but she wouldn't be in a hurry once she was in the expanse of sparsely inhabited terrain, and her abilities were almost if not completely restored.

Sure enough, two hours later, she deemed her physical condition well enough. Natsuko did his best to heal the deep slashes covering her body from Kisame's interrogation, but the scars would remain, and these wouldn't be faded and silvery like the first time. These were jagged, blood red scars that stood out against her pale skin. She smirked. Gaara would be angry. Then the brief smile froze and disappeared in an instant. No he wouldn't. She shook her head to clear her thoughts and continued pacing. Time to go. The bandages wouldn't last forever.

She closed her eyes and the temperature dropped several degrees, her eyes changing color as they always did. She centered her chakra into her hands. A dark swarm of energy appeared and she grabbed a bar of the door to her cell. The jutsu was completely silent, as darkness tended to be. The shadow spread from her hand, enveloping the bar in darkness. She released it and it remained a deep ebony color. After that it was simple. She walked through the door as if that bar didn't exist, which technically it didn't. Touching it with her chakra had given that bar of the cell the properties of darkness, namely, becoming intangible. She simply passed through it. So as not to leave a trace, she touched the door again, almost caressing it, and it returned to steel grey. She crept through the base, seeing Itachi, Deidara, and Kisame in the room across from her cell, discussing something around a table covered in maps and papers. She paused, overhearing them.

"-need to somehow leave a trail for the Kazekage to follow."

"Will he come?"

"Certainly. What'd you get from her, Itachi?"

"…she knows nothing significant. It seems the Kazekage kept her in the dark."

Ryoka froze, feeling a sudden warmth towards Sasuke's elder sibling as he lied for her. Which was _weird. _

**Probably just a trap. He's trying to get on your good side, **Natsuko mumbled, though even he wasn't quite convinced himself.

_Doesn't matter, we're leaving, _she answered easily. If she ever got the chance… well, she wouldn't thank him, but she might at least call it even. He _had _tortured her, after all. And despite her incredible tolerance for pain, it _had _hurt. She touched the skin underneath her collarbone, as if expecting to feel the kunai imbedded there and shuddered slightly. Genjutsu was a scary thing.

She melted into the shadows, blending perfectly, and silently walked up the stairs to the desert beyond. She stopped at the top of the stairs, hesitating for a moment as she reminded herself to remain calm. The doors were laid flat above her head like a tornado shelter, and one look at the hinges told her that there was no way they would be opening silently. She wanted to conserve her energy, and it took a lot of chakra to make herself legitimately pass through objects. It was possible, but she didn't want to risk going unconscious. She silently dismantled the locks and alarm, checking around the edges for traps. There was one, but it was kind of… lame. She disarmed it, scowling down the stairs. Had they really underestimated her to this extent? Did they even know her name? Or the legend that was tied to her?

**Of course not. You did everything in your power to ensure that nobody knew of your existence. **Natsuko's tone was equally amused and mocking.

…_shut up, Natsuko._

Taking a deep breath, she gathered chakra into her arms and slammed the doors open, deftly standing at the top as a warm desert breeze greeted her. She looked down at Itachi, Deidara, and Kisame, who had all appeared as soon as they heard the metal doors. They all stared in shock, albeit Itachi, who's expression rarely changed anyways, freezing for an instant.

She smiled down at them wickedly, her eyes still resembling Natsuko's. Oops. Not that she cared at this point if they knew.

"You messed with the wrong jinchuriki," she snarled, before vanishing into the wind.

**Well that was stupid of you, **Natsuko stated dryly as she sprinted across the desert. **Itachi saves your ass and you just screw yourself over again by telling them straight up who you are.**

_It's been eighteen years. It was bound to come out sooner or later._

Natsuko just sighed in exasperation.

Ten minutes later, they were hunting her down. _So much for not being in a hurry, _she thought grimly, feeling her energy drain. Pain was beginning to shoot through her body from exhaustion and gritty sand was rubbing her skin raw, trapped in place by the bandages.

**Cheh. You deserve it. Why is it that the only way I can convince you not to die is by defending that stuck up good for nothing redhead?**

_What are you talking about? I _was_ being selfish._

**You don't even know what selfish means, brat. You're going to protect someone who betrayed you. That's just stupid.**

_That's what you told me to do! _She protested in exasperation.

**Because you were going to die if I didn't! **

_So you… yelled at me… and lied… to make me feel better._

**Well complimenting you didn't work, did it?**

Ryoka chose not to reply.

She picked up her pace. She wasn't leaving a trail, but she was tired. It had been broad daylight when she had started running, immediately worsening her condition, but now it was about dusk, so she was faced with two options. She could keep running through the night, so that she could run at her best strength, or she could take the night to recover, but have to run again in the daylight. Despite her exhaustion, she chose the first option. Fire burst across the sky as the sun set behind distant sand dunes, and Ryoka continued running, her legs beginning to automatically move as she lost feeling from exhaustion. The sand was making her begin to bleed. She would have to take off the bandages soon. They would be useless. She pushed herself regardless. She had run much farther than this before. She had trained for it. Of course, she had never tried running after two days of no food and water, but there was a first time for everything, right?

As the sun's first early morning rays shot out from over the horizon, she was confident she had put distance between her and the Akatsuki, but she was even more certain that she couldn't continue running, especially with the rising sun draining her chakra. As soon as she found somewhere she could take cover, she would need rest. This was the desert, but there had to be something, an overhanging sand dune, an oasis, _something, _but she just didn't make it that far. Her legs were trembling from exhaustion, her mouth dry again, and she just didn't have the strength she had before. At this point her body just _couldn't _take any more abuse. This was her limit. She fell to her knees at a small dip in between sand dunes, hardly a shelter let alone a cover. She saw a shady silhouette in front of her, but was unable to make out anything but a pair of familiar jade eyes staring down at her. With concern or contempt, she didn't care to tell. Darkness once again overtaking her, she fell forward and collapsed in the sand.

**Last Minute Author's Note: Thanks for reading, I tried to make this chapter longer since the last one was so short. Please review! Also, I think I'm going to start another fanfiction since this one is almost done… Maybe Bleach this time? Or another Naruto, or Fairy Tail or something, I haven't really decided yet, but please check it out when the time comes, and thanks for reading! Oh and if you have an idea or preference or anything like that about the next fanfic please feel free to let me know, that would make my day ^.^ I'm familiar with a bunch of others (i.e. Inuyasha, Death Note, etc.) so don't be afraid to ask or PM or review ideas and whatnot. Thanks!**


	46. 46 Agony

**Author's Note: Hey everyone, long time no update I know, my apologies, but Driver's Ed has been taking up ****_much _****more time than it should. On a different note, finally we're back to Gaara and what's been going on with him! It took me a while, but here it is, so I hope you enjoy it. Please review as always!**

Temari's mouth dropped open.

"You did _what?!" _Her younger brother's back was to her, but she could still hear the strain in his voice.

"Do not make me repeat myself," he growled in a low voice. There. She heard it. A trace of guilt.

"I know I said to give her a chance, but Gaara, honestly I didn't mean to _kiss _her!"

"Nadeshiko returned," he added, continuing to stare out the window, her standing a few feet behind him. Temari chuckled, taking a moment to sense the tension in the air.

"Well it's up to you to straighten this out, _Kazekage-sama," _she mocked, throwing sarcasm in the title.

"Temari," he hissed. He turned around and Temari's smile froze on her face.

"She _saw. Nadeshiko saw." _

Temari barely registered the words. She had never seen her brother's face look this pained. Not since before the Chuunin Exams. He wasn't even looking directly at her, his eyes lowered slightly in pain and guilt.

"Gaara, Ryoka will understand, just apologize and tell her what happened."

"She's gone again," he managed to say, struggling to keep his voice under control. Temari swore silently. She needed to have a word with Ryoka about all this running. When would that girl realize that Suna was _home?_

"The Akatsuki… took her."

Temari stiffened. That was different. Much different. And this situation was beginning to sound very, very bad.

"How the hell…?" She trailed off.

Gaara didn't answer.

"Hey, Gaara," Temari put a hand on her brother's shoulder. "Are you okay?" she asked gently. He remained silent, but his expression reflected that of someone who was in pure agony, with almost undiluted self-loathing.

"We'll get her back, don't worry. The Akatsuki are probably just interrogating her. If they know she's the Wanderer, then she probably knows about the jinchuriki they haven't found yet. That's probably why they took her, and we can get her back."

Gaara gave a quiet gasp, almost too low to be heard. _But you don't know, Temari… She _is _the jinchuriki. They're going… to kill her._

"It hurts worse, Temari," the Kazekage admitted reluctantly, looking down at the ground, his expression almost _vulnerable._ His next words were uttered in a whisper. "Worse than Shukaku ever did."

Temari blinked in surprise. Gaara was strong. She always looked to him to be the one that was always, confident, sure, and in control. She had never seen him in this much pain… this much _suffering, _since the demon had driven him insane with bloodlust.

"You're the Kazekage," she said encouragingly, trying to hesitantly meet his eyes. She flinched at the self-loathing she saw there.

"I don't… know what to do."

"Go after her. Listen to what your heart tells you."

* * *

Gaara's sand swirled through the mansion, shutting windows and locking them tight.

"Kazekage-sama, what is going on?" Three Sunagakure ANBU members stood to the side, the one in the middle having asked.

"Sunagakure is going into lockdown," he ordered, his voice a deadly calm. "Please alert the council that all citizens of the Sand must stay locked indoors or underground."

"Under what grounds, Kazekage-sama?"

"…the Akatsuki are on the move. Details will be given after lockdown is lifted. Go."

"Hai, Kazekage-sama."

They vanished, and Gaara quickly entered his office, about to take the stairs to the roof. Temari and Kankuro entered, fan and puppets ready.

"Oi, Gaara, why is everyone going underground?"

"We are going after Nadeshiko," Gaara returned abruptly. "I will not leave Sunagakure unprotected."

Kankuro took a moment to register the words, before he broke out in a grin.

"Excellent. What did you tell the council?"

"…I will tell them upon our return."

Kankuro chuckled. _Lying to the council, eh, Gaara?_

"Ready to leave, Gaara?" Temari questioned, a determined look on her face. The Kazekage nodded. If it was the Akatsuki, he would not be so naïve as to go alone. He would be leaving Sunagakure in the hands of the council in his absence. Fortunately they could do little harm with the entire village in lockdown. Suddenly the atmosphere seemed very tense and serious as they each thought of what Ryoka might be going through at that very moment.

"Gaara-sama!"

That voice… Gaara turned just in time to see Naomi excitedly run into the room, her face flushed with excitement and her eyes bright. Her mood seemed so out of place that the tension radiating from him was almost palpable, though she seemed oblivious.

"Is it true that you asked my father and me to stay?" she questioned enthusiastically, clasping her hands together. She batted her eyelashes, blushing.

"No," he replied flatly. "Suna is in lockdown. Have a guard escort you to a designated location." His voice was slightly strained with forced calm. Every second he stood there was a second wasted, a second that the Akatsuki could have used to extract the seven tails from Nadeshiko.

"But Gaara-sama, you're going to hunt down the Akatsuki, right?" She blinked at him innocently, talking slowly as if trying to figure something out. He gave a stiff nod.

"Let me come with you!" she insisted excitedly. "I won't get in the way, honest! You're going to rescue that girl the green eyed boy was talking about, right? It's so great of you, rescuing a kidnapped citizen!"

Gaara's eyes narrowed. Citizen? Did she honestly believe that he was going after some random citizen of Sunagakure? Could this girl be any more naïve?

"No," he ordered quietly. "Leave."

"Please-" she begged, but she was cut off.

"Oi, Higurashi-san," Kankuro interrupted, looking as annoyed and impatient as Gaara felt. "It's dangerous, so follow Gaara's orders and go with the others."

Naomi completely ignored him, taking Gaara's arm eagerly.

"You don't mind, do you, Gaara-kun?" she pressed, smiling wide. "I won't be a burden, I swear!"

Temari's eyes narrowed slightly. '_-kun'? _

"_Kazekage-sama," _she emphasized, "needs to leave, as do we. I mean no disrespect, but you are wasting our time, Naomi-san."

"Gaara-kun!" she insisted. "Please just tell them I can come! I want to help save one of the random citizens of Suna!"

Gaara glared at her frostily, making her take a hesitant step back.

"Enough," he snapped.

"But-"

"Naomi-san," he said, pain returning to his eyes. "She is not a _random citizen."_

Naomi seemed taken aback by the change in his tone.

"Then… what is she?" she asked hesitantly.

"She's _mine," _he growled slightly, looking over her shoulder and glaring out the window at the desert. "And I have failed her. Go with the others."

Her eyes widened, rounding in shock as realization hit her. Even she couldn't be oblivious to the meaning behind his words.

For the first time in maybe her life, Naomi was rendered completely speechless. She took a few steps back, hesitantly opening her mouth to speak before closing it again. What was there to say?

Gaara turned and vanished, with his siblings close behind. Temari almost commented on his remark about Ryoka, but quickly decided against it, knowing Gaara was in no mood to be teased. They had just made it to the roof when another small figure appeared, again delaying their venture. He was shorter than all of them, though only by an inch or two, wearing dark clothes to match his darker hair. He didn't say a word, but when Gaara glared at him, he returned the glare with a single sentence.

"Just try and stop me," he challenged, meeting the Kazekage's eyes.

Gaara wordlessly disappeared in a swirl of sand, and Temari and Kankuro followed, glancing curiously at their most recent added companion.

Kankuro opened his mouth to speak, recognizing him and realizing why Gaara hadn't simply killed him and kept going.

"Satoru, right?" The boy nodded.

"At least he's quiet," Temari noted.

"Reminds me of his teacher," Kankuro returned grimly, turning his gaze to the empty desert, and the sunset beyond.

_Wait for me, Nadeshiko, _Gaara snarled to himself, his hand automatically clutching his shirt where his heart was, a habit he thought he had broken long ago. The guilt was there. A terrible, aching guilt that was almost worse than the pain. What did she think now? That she had been abandoned? He blinked in shock, remembering the night her sister had died, when she was moments away from throwing herself off of a cliff.

_"What do I need then?!" she demanded, her voice sounding off, a note of insanity there that shouldn't have been. She gasped as she felt her eyes begin to water. She couldn't cry. Tears meant more pain. More pain that she wasn't strong enough to take. Images of laughing Swordsmen, taunting her with daggers, flashed before her eyes. A new scar for every tear. She forced them back, her fear and pain bordering on insanity. She took a step back, where the cliff dropped off, and suddenly he was directly in front of her, pulling her forward away from the edge into a sure and confident embrace. Her eyes widened as his arms tightened slightly around her shoulders._

_"You need someone who won't abandon you."_

That's what he had said. And now he had done exactly that. Gaara's teeth clenched together, but he kept his face as calm as he could. He _would _find her. And if she didn't forgive him, so be it. He didn't deserve that forgiveness to begin with. He didn't deserve any of what she had done for him. None of it.

Kankuro and Temari watched their brother in concern, but they knew better than to try to talk to him when he was like this. It was almost as tense as they had felt when the demon controlled his actions. He wasn't conflicted this time, but they were sure he hated himself now far more than he ever had. In a way, it was more frightening than when he considered himself a monster that only loved himself.

Gaara glared at the desert horizon, steady energy racing through his veins in anticipation of what was to come. The Akatsuki… they had killed him, and that was only with one. According to the dark haired boy running close behind him, there had been three that attacked her.

If they hurt her he would never forgive himself.

"She could've taken them," Satoru growled quietly, almost to himself. Gaara's eyes slowly shifted to the boy.

"She was running… in the sun," the boy stated, as if it were obvious. "I'm guessing she did it for you."

Gaara's eyes narrowed.

"The sun…" he repeated slowly, almost stating it like a question. Satoru glanced up sharply.

"She manipulates darkness," he informed him, a slight edge in his voice. "So overexposure to light kills her."

Gaara gritted his teeth. They lived in the desert. Sunlight always provided opportunity for overexposure.

"For me," he repeated darkly.

"She still could've beaten them, or at least held them off till you got there," Satoru said firmly, glaring at the Kazekage.

"Then why didn't she, kid?" Temari demanded angrily, having listened quietly up until then.

Satoru tsked angrily.

"Answer," Gaara ordered quietly, dreading the response that was sure to come.

"Isn't it obvious?" Satoru spat at the Kazekage. "Because she saw _you._"

_With someone else._ The words hung in the air, though no one dared utter them aloud. The rest of their journey was completely, hauntingly silent. No one so much as coughed as they searched the barren expanse of sparse terrain. They didn't stop for a break, even when they began to tire. No one would dare ask to stop, nor did they have the will to admit they needed rest.

Despite the determination they had set out with, the desert was huge. If they'd had some sort of trail to follow, things may have been different, but since Ryoka had been on the brink of unconsciousness when she had returned to Suna, there wasn't so much as a trace of chakra to follow.

"It- It can't be because she's out of chakra, Gaara," Temari said comfortingly, trying to cheer him up. "They probably just sealed her chakra-"

"How did you find me?" Gaara questioned suddenly, glaring daggers at the insistently empty horizon.

"W-What?"

"When the Akatsuki killed me," he elaborated slowly, coming to a halt. "How did you find me?"

"Y-You would have to ask the ninjas from Konoha," she answered hesitantly. "We came late because Kankuro was poisoned."

Kankuro grimaced at the memory.

Gaara let out an almost inaudible sigh.

"We will stay here tonight," he informed them, eyeing them with a gaze so intense that Temari and Kankuro shifted uncomfortably. Satoru wasn't even paying attention. His eyes were sweeping over the desert, as if waiting for his teacher to appear out of thin air.

"We can keep going-" Kankuro tried to object, but Gaara silenced him with a look.

"It is sundown, and everyone is tired. We will rest here. It is pointless to search in the dark anyways." Gaara's logic was met with silence, but Satoru's head cocked slightly to the side.

"I will keep searching," he informed them, turning to meet Gaara's eyes.

Temari frowned. "You need your rest more than any of us, kid." She unstrapped her fan from her back and set it on the ground. "You aren't as accustomed to traveling and searching long distances in the desert."

"I am accustomed to searching in the dark," he retorted quietly. Everyone stiffened slightly, knowing that the dark was where Ryoka was most likely to be, should she escape from the Akatsuki.

"Do what you want," Gaara answered in a low voice. "We leave at sunrise." Satoru nodded and vanished. Temari and Kankuro watched, not saying anything, before getting ready to sleep for the night. Gaara sat a little ways away from his siblings, watching the last rays of the sun disappear over the horizon.

Why Ryoka? He looked at the sand, blowing in hazy patterns over his feet. It seemed like every possible bad thing that could happen to her, did happen. He closed his eyes. Was it his fault? Had he caused her all of this… this hell?

He closed his eyes, blocking out the crescent moon that was shining above his head. The temperature was rapidly falling, but it would be as simmering as ever by morning the next day.

Even if she managed to escape from the Akatsuki, how long would she last in this kind of heat?

He glanced to the side as a dark figure silently emerged from the darkness to his left. Satoru returned with a quiet sigh and laid down in the sand, using his arms to pillow his head.

Gaara opened his eyes slowly and looked out across the desert. This would be over soon, he promised himself. He would kill every last member of the Akatsuki he could find and return with Nadeshiko.

_If she even forgives you._

* * *

All of them were awake and fixing to set off again well before dawn; even Kankuro got ready earlier than usual. Nobody had wanted to sleep, but everyone knew it was necessary; especially in the dry heat of the desert. They silently left, following Gaara's lead, but painfully aware that there was no trail to follow. Not a single chakra signature was left lingering in the air.

Several hours later, it was Temari who broke the silence.

"Someone's coming," she warned sharply, slowing to a stop. The other three did the same, following her gaze. There was a hazy figure approaching from the North, only visible due to the relative flatness of the land, slowly making their way towards them.

"No way," Kankuro muttered disbelievingly. "Is it really…?"

"Let's go," Gaara ordered quickly. All of them changed direction and started running towards the figure, not daring to get their hopes up lest they be disappointed.

It took much longer than expected, but finally they had lessened the gap between them enough to identify who it was they were running towards. They all sighed slightly in disappointment, having raised their hopes without even realizing it.

"Oi, what are you guys doing here?"

"We _live _in the desert," Kankuro retorted. "What are _you _doing here?"

Gaara's eyes widened a fraction.

"Naruto?"

The blonde jinchuriki grinned, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

"Hey, Gaara."

**Last Minute Author's Note: I tried not to make it too much of a cliffhanger, but we are on the final five chapters, so I gotta leave a bit of suspense, right? Oh, I almost forgot, I am putting together the video of drawings for this story currently so if you have a favorite moment that you want me to draw, please please please let me know so that I can draw it in time to include it in the video. Also, if any of you guys happen to be artists and have drawn something to do with this story, please tell me! I can put y'alls drawings in too if you want, (I'd give you the credit for it of course) and I would love to see them :D Thanks as always!**


	47. 47 Found and Forgiven

**Author's Note: Enjoy.**

The Suna nins stared at Naruto incredulously, wondering why on earth a Konoha nin would be this far from home, in the middle of the desert no less. The optimistic blonde seemed oblivious to their confusion, instead launching straight into conversation.

"Gaara! Ne, ne, have you seen Sasuke?" Naruto questioned excitedly, his face flushed from running in the heat.

"No." The curt reply didn't faze the jinchuriki one bit, though his face fell slightly.

"Ah, well, it can't be helped I guess." The blue eyed shinobi turned to leave, before Gaara met Naruto's gaze sharply. He wouldn't pass up the chance to learn something that might aid their search.

"Naruto, you were with Nadeshiko recently, weren't you?"

Naruto smiled and nodded confidently, giving Gaara a thumbs up.

"Mm! She didn't kill Sasuke," he confirmed, his smile fading slightly as he realized for the first time how tense the atmosphere was. Temari and Kankuro were exchanging serious and uncomfortable glances, and Satoru was shifting impatiently, arms crossed over his chest. Gaara didn't press for details. He had hoped as much, but that issue was not his top priority right now.

"Where is she now?" Temari demanded, one hand on her hip and the other resting on her fan, ready to take off again.

"Huh? Isn't Ryoka-chan with you guys?" Naruto asked, confused. Temari sighed. If Naruto didn't know anything then they were wasting their time.

"Ryoka was kidnapped by the Akatsuki," she informed the blonde jinchuriki, shifting her weight impatiently as his jaw dropped.

"Eh?! No way! She was stronger than Sasuke…" Naruto's eyes widened in innocent disbelief and concern.

"Hmm," Naruto put his hands behind his head, thinking. "Come to think of it, I saw some footprints a while back, but they've probably blown away by now." He turned his gaze upwards, squinting at the sun.

"Where were they?" Temari demanded, leaning towards the blonde, who let out a nervous laugh.

"Ano… Over there," he pointed vaguely. "A few miles that way I think, but I thought they were Sasuke's…" His eyes widened.

"Crap! I forgot, I have to go. Good luck finding Ryoka-chan, Gaara!"

"Oi, where are you going?" Kankuro called after him.

Naruto turned and looked over his shoulder, still running.

"To find Sasuke, of course! I promised Sakura-chan I'd bring him back to Konoha! This time I'll do it for sure, believe it!"

Kankuro turned to his sister, confused.

"Why would Sasuke be in the desert?"

Gaara frowned slightly. Sasuke was trying to find and kill Uchiha Itachi… His eyes narrowed and he turned around quickly, making eye contact with Satoru, who warily returned his gaze.

"The three Akatsuki members that came to Suna… Was Uchiha Itachi one of them?"

Satoru shrugged.

"I wouldn't know."

Gaara scowled, his eyes following Naruto, already far from them in the distance. If Naruto was following Sasuke, and Sasuke was following Itachi, and Itachi had Ryoka in custody, did that mean Naruto would ultimately lead them to her? Did that mean all of them were in the desert? It was a bet he wasn't confident he should take. He swept his gaze over the desert in the other direction, where Naruto had supposedly seen a track of footprints. Which would be the most reasonable trail to follow? If it had been only one set of footprints, he could presume Ryoka had escaped, but according to her student she didn't last long in the sunlight.

"Gaara," Temari interjected hesitantly. His gaze shifted to his sibling.

"Do you think we should go… to that cave? The one where we found you?"

That was another plausible option. If she didn't escape, they would take her to that Gedo statue and extract the seven tails from her body. Of course, the location may have changed with each jinchuriki they extracted a tailed beast from. Gaara gave an almost inaudible sigh of frustration.

"We're splitting up," he said quietly. "Kankuro, head towards the last location of the Gedo statue. Temari, follow Naruto."

"Naruto? Why?"

"Naruto is looking for Sasuke, who is almost certainly in pursuit of Uchiha Itachi. If he has custody of Nadeshiko then Naruto may lead you to her."

"That's not much to go on."

Gaara scowled. "We have nothing to go on, Temari, that much is clear."

"Wait," Satoru interrupted softly. "Someone else is coming."

For a moment it appeared Deidara of the Akatsuki was approaching, simply because the vague shape of a crude artificial bird passed over their heads, but upon closer inspection, this bird had a pale rider with dark hair and eyes, who occasionally relayed information to his comrades below. His companions running on the ground were more familiar. There was a jounin, silver hair sticking up seemingly at random with his forehead protector slanted over one eye, with the pink haired kunoichi, Haruno Sakura keeping up as best she could. Gaara overheard some of their conversation as they passed.

"Sai! Which direction is Naruto-kun headed?" Gaara heard Kakashi question curtly.

"Approximately twenty three degrees northwest," came the swift and formal reply.

"That baka! Running ahead of us," Sakura growled, her hands forming fists.

The three noticed the Suna nins, but didn't take the liberty of stopping as Naruto had. Rather, Kakashi gave the Kazekage a formal nod of greeting before returning his attention to his path. Once they were nearly out of sight, Temari crossed her arms haughtily.

"Why are we running into everyone _except _Ryoka?" she snapped in frustration.

"We have no time to question their motives. Temari, Kankuro, head towards the Gedo statue," Gaara ordered calmly. They nodded.

"So we aren't following Naruto?"

"We will trust him and his comrades for the time being. They have not failed us before." Gaara was tired of speaking. They had wasted too much time already. The Akatsuki could have already extracted the bijuu and abandoned Ryoka's body by now.

Gaara turned and headed towards the expanse of desert that had supposedly once contained a set of footprints. Satoru followed him, ignoring the Kazekage's stare. They walked for nearly an hour, before Satoru suddenly stopped.

"Here," he said suddenly, stooping to the ground. "The sand is looser here."

He stared at the grains of earth as if expecting it to reveal all the answers he was searching for.

"Not even a trace of chakra left." Satoru stood with a sigh, as if contemplating something.

"Can you sense all the sand in this desert?" he asked slowly, frowning.

"I sense the sand that is infused with my chakra."

Satoru turned and watched the Kazekage with distaste, not bothering to hide his dislike for his teacher's companion.

"What kind of range can you sense for?"

"Perhaps a mile radius."

Satoru sighed, then turned to face the Kazekage, reluctant determination in his eyes.

"Listen. I see things differently. It's the way I was taught. I can't manipulate darkness, but I can sense it, meaning I can sense Ryoka-sensei, no matter how weak she is. If I let you see through my eyes, will you be able to find her?"

"Why do you need the sand?" Gaara questioned slowly.

"I can't do it over long distances. If you cover a mile radius with your sand, you should be able to sense anyone who manipulates darkness by looking through my eyes." Gaara paused.

"Why didn't you mention this before?"

Satoru scowled slightly. "The chances are higher of her being close here. That is, if the footprints left here belonged to her."

"Very well. Do what you must."

Satoru nodded. He put his hand on Gaara's shoulder and closed his eyes, centering his chakra like Ryoka-sensei had taught him to. He was reluctant to work with Gaara. At first he hadn't minded his teacher with the Kazekage, as long as Ryoka-sensei was happy, but now he was causing her nothing but pain. Now, however, he set his dislike aside. If it was to save Ryoka he would do whatever it took. She came first. He channeled his energy into the Kazekage, feeling him stiffen as foreign chakra centered around his eyes. The colors around Gaara dimmed until everything he saw was in shades of gray. Was this how the boy saw the world? His surroundings were completely black and white.

"…You're colorblind."

Satoru didn't answer, knowing it was pointless to deny it. He had lived his life in black in white, always surrounded by shadows. Ryoka-sensei had taught him that that didn't have to be a bad thing. One of the countless reasons he loved his teacher. Gaara channeled the energy into his sand, spreading each grain out in all directions for almost a mile. Every once in a while he gathered the sand in a certain area and formed a third eye, using Satoru's vision to scope out that section of the desert.

It was a painstaking process, and they didn't have time nor energy to waste. Gaara centered his chakra at different points, forming a third eye in one area, allowing it to disintegrate, then repeating the process. The work went excruciatingly slowly, but it was much more efficient than the distance they could cover on foot. After finding nothing, they followed the trail of looser sand as best they could and repeated the process a mile farther than where they had started. They worked all through the night, until dawn the next day.

At around the ninth mile, Gaara was beginning to lose the little hope he had begun with of finding Ryoka alive, but he pressed on regardless, knowing that he wouldn't stop until he knew where she was. He formed the sixth eye in that mile, briefly wondering how Sunagakure was faring without its Kazekage. He froze, sensing a slight tremor to the left of the eye. He stared hard, trying to see through the colorless haze of the desert. What was this feeling…?

Satoru noticed Gaara freeze immediately, despite his exhaustion. He had used up most of his chakra to let the Kazekage search. He allowed his hand to drop to his side, knowing that the Kazekage must have sensed something.

"Where is she?" he demanded. Gaara pointed almost hesitantly. In a moment, Satoru was sprinting in that direction, not caring whether or not Gaara was close behind. There. He sensed her now too. He almost smiled. She was walking away from them, her back to them, but it was her; he was sure of it.

He stopped a few feet away from her, about to call her name, when he paused, eyes widening in horror. Her arms and legs were bandaged tightly, and looked as if they had been hastily done. Her uniform was ripped and torn, with dried blood showing through where her skin was exposed. Her shoulders and back were sunburned, and though she was standing and walking as confidently as ever, her legs were shaking as if they were about to give out any moment.

"Ryoka-sensei…" he murmured softly. She turned, facing him, and recognition flickered slightly in her eyes before she swayed.

"Sensei!" he rushed forward, catching her as she collapsed. She was lighter than she should be, even for someone as small as she was. He inhaled sharply. She smelled like blood.

He hastily unrolled his pack and laid her on it, grabbing a canteen of water. His hands were shaking as he sensed Gaara materialize next to him. He was trembling so hard that the water spilled slightly as he unscrewed the cap.

"Calm down," the Kazekage said quietly. "She is alive."

"Don't tell me to calm down," Satoru snarled, whirling around. "This is because of you!" He wiped his sleeve across his eyes. "You were supposed to protect her!"

Gaara watched the boy, unfazed.

"I understand. I do not expect forgiveness from either of you, but what matters now is that she is breathing."

"Shut up! You don't get it!" Satoru yelled angrily. "I don't want you to be sorry, I want Ryoka-sensei to be happy! And you…. You keep _hurting _her! You don't even call her by her _name_!"

Gaara's eyes widened, and he felt his eyes mist over slightly.

_What… is this? _He touched his face, surprised at himself. He was… upset? Crying, even? He looked at Ryoka's face, almost peaceful in the rising sun, and walked up to her, sitting at her side. Satoru had his back to both of them, looking for fresh bandages in his pack.

"I don't want… to keep hurting you…" he said quietly, knowing his words were beyond reaching her. Guilt welled up in his stomach. He should have sent Naomi home the day she had arrived. No, that wasn't right. It wasn't her fault. The blame lied with him. He had foolishly agreed to her naïve request, and now he would suffer the consequences.

"I will alert Temari and Kankuro that we have found her," he informed Satoru quietly. The boy nodded, his shoulders stiffening as the Kazekage stood.

Satoru took her wrist and examined the bandages. "The sand is rubbing her skin raw," he murmured aloud. He peeled back the adhesive wrappings, revealing her forearm. His eyes widened and he gave a slight gasp, unwrapping the bandages all the way up to her shoulder.

"K-Kazekage-sama…" he called hesitantly. "I… I think you may want to see this."

* * *

Gaara's expression darkened as he saw fresh, jagged red lines crisscrossing over the long faded silver scars Ryoka had obtained long ago. He turned his head away, not wanting to see more.

"We need to get her out of the sun," he spat out, forcing his voice to sound deadly calm. "Otherwise the wounds will fester." He raised his hand and a column of sand rose out of the desert, forming a large cave like cover large enough to shield all three of them, with room left over for when Temari and Kankuro arrived. Gaara unwrapped the bandages covering her other arm and made a small horrified sound in the back of his throat. She was never going to forgive him. No, he was never going to forgive himself. Some of the scars were still fresh and bleeding, while others were slowly healing, marred and vulnerable to infection. They covered her arms, legs, and torso, and most of the skin that wasn't covered with blood was being rubbed raw by sand that had been trapped in the bandages. Satoru soaked a cloth and allowed water to drip between Ryoka's parched lips before placing the cool fabric on her forehead.

"She has a fever," he informed Gaara, watching Ryoka's flushed face with unease. "We need to get her to a medic."

Gaara tore a length of fabric from his tunic and soaked it in water, quickly cleaning the cuts that decorated her limbs and wiping away the excess blood. He caught the bandages Satoru tossed to him and rewrapped her injuries. Her shirt was stuck to her skin with dried blood and was already torn in several places. He cut the fabric away with a knife, feeling heat rush into his cheeks when he realized what he was doing. He wiped off the blood from her stomach, cleaning her injuries as best he could. She was thinner than before, her ribs more prominent, her face slightly more angular, and her skin was losing its color. He bandaged her torso quickly, averting his eyes from her smooth figure. This was no time to be distracted by petty things. Even so, he couldn't help but stare a bit at his unconscious lover. It felt like it had been years since he had last truly been with her, when in actuality, it had been little more than a week. Despite her health, she was still there, and she was still alive. He hastily took off his own shirt and gently pulled it over her head, covering the horrible gashes. He took a deep breath. She smelled almost exactly like his sand used to. Earth and blood. That bothered him. Usually she smelled like the forest, and like rain.

Satoru stood and exited the cave, nodding towards the empty water container to tell Gaara where he was going. As soon as he had gone, Gaara sat close to Ryoka's side and took her hand in his, pressing her fingers to his lips. They were freezing, despite the heat of the morning. He exhaled softly and his head snapped to the side as she stirred. Her fingers twitched, the fingerless gloves worn almost to the point of tearing. Her eyes cracked open, and Gaara quickly wiped the grains of sand from her face.

Her eyes moved listlessly for a moment, trying to focus. Her hand tightened around his, and she automatically tried to push herself into a sitting position. Without hesitation Gaara put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back down on the mat, eyes burning.

"Don't move," he ordered, trying to keep his voice from trembling. "Not yet." At the sound of his voice, her head turned towards him, her gaze slowly clearing.

"Nadeshik-" he broke off suddenly, remembering Satoru's words. _You don't even call her by her name! _

"R-Ryoka," he murmured hesitantly, wrapping his hand tighter around hers. She peeked up at him through long lashes, her gaze still slightly clouded.

He closed his eyes tightly, clenching his teeth. "I'm so sorry," he choked out. "This is all my fault. I never should have let any of this happen." Tears glittered down his cheek as he closed his eyes tighter, covering her hand with both of his. She watched him for a moment, her face unreadable, then, very slowly as if the movement itself pained her, Ryoka reached up and wiped the tears from his face. His eyes opened in surprise, following her movements. He blinked.

She opened her mouth, but before she could utter a word, she started coughing, the spasms violently wracking through her body. Gaara snapped out of his daze immediately. He turned her head to the side so that she wouldn't choke. She covered her mouth with her hand and it came away bloody.

She forced herself up into a sitting position before Gaara could stop her. The cloth on her forehead fell into her lap. She picked it up hesitantly.

"You have a fever," he explained quietly. She met his eyes, sea green to bright gold. His were full of guilt and self hatred, hers simply confusion.

She opened her mouth, trying to force words to come though her throat was dry and parched.

"Who did this to you?" he asked quietly, though his expression was dark as thunder. She blinked slowly.

"You… searched… for me," she managed to whisper, looking more confused than ever.

He nodded, his expression pained. Of course they had.

"…Why?"

"You are our family," he answered automatically. But it was so much more than that. He just didn't know how to put it into words.

She suddenly leaned forward, putting her hands on either side of his face and staring at him worriedly, her face still flushed.

"They… didn't know," she whispered almost frantically. He stared back with wide eyes.

"Who didn't know?" he asked.

"Akat…suki…" Her heartbeat was quickening, and Gaara could feel her temperature rising.

"They didn't know what?"

"That I… was… seven-tails…" she let her hands drop, but her expression was still frantic.

Gaara frowned worriedly. "You need your rest," he said softly, trying to comfort her. It was scary to see Ryoka so frantic. She never panicked. She was always calm and sure. He gently guided her back to lying on the mat.

Her eyes fogged over slightly.

"I told them…" she whispered. "They're coming." After that she relaxed, her fingers still tightly woven with Gaara's.

Gaara froze. '_They didn't know. Akatsuki. That I was seven-tail's…' _and then '_I told them. They're coming.'_

The Akatsuki hadn't known she was a jinchuriki, but she had told them? Did Ryoka mean that they were coming after her? Or was she simply delirious from the fever? Gaara growled in frustration. One problem after the next.

* * *

When Ryoka opened her eyes for the second time, her fever had broken. To say she was sore was a colossal understatement. Her vision was still slightly blurry, and she wasn't sure she would be able to sit up even if she tried. She managed to turn her head to the side. Gaara was sitting, his back to her, watching the exit of the makeshift cave. Ryoka bit her lip.

_I never should have let any of this happen. _That's what he had said, unless it was a dream. What did that even mean? That he regretted ever meeting her? She was confused, and she hated it. She had wanted to come back and protect him, but here he was, protecting her _again. _Did he just feel indebted to her? She clenched her teeth. She didn't want his pity. She tried to push herself up into a sitting position, giving a small hiss of pain. Gaara's head snapped around at the sound and the sand cave around them disintegrated, revealing the midday sun as well as Temari, Kankuro, and Satoru standing guard outside.

"You're awake." She nodded. _Why isn't he wearing a shirt? _She wondered briefly.

**They're here, **Natsuko warned suddenly, a growl building in his throat.

Ryoka's eyes widened. She had to act quickly.

"I told the Akatsuki that I'm the host for the seven-tails," she blurted out suddenly.

She was met by dead silence. Temari and Kankuro's mouths were hanging open in shock, their eyes bulging.

"You are _what?!" _Temari exclaimed.

"Y-You're a… jinchuriki…" Kankuro looked like he was about to faint.

Temari whirled around to face her younger brother.

"Gaara! Did you know about this?!" she demanded.

He gave a slow nod.

She turned back to Ryoka.

"Why didn't you _tell _us?!" the kunoichi ranted. "You should be thanking your lucky stars nobodys _killed _you yet! And to think-"

"_Temari-san," _Ryoka pressed, cutting off Temari's speech and wincing as pain shot through her lungs.

"That's not the issue. _I told the Akatsuki._"

Everyone around her stiffened as they realized the dire implications of that sentence.

"How many of them?" Satoru asked, kneeling next to her.

"Three when I left," she answered quietly.

Satoru grinned half-heartedly. "Don't worry, sensei, I'll protect you this time," he promised.

She returned his smile weakly. "I'm glad you came, Satoru-kun. I'm counting on you, okay?"

He nodded, green eyes bright with determination.

"Mm!"

Her gaze snapped to her left.

"They're here," she whispered. The Sand Siblings and Satoru all stiffened.

Natsuko growled softly.

Gaara turned to Ryoka.

"Ryoka, I need to tell you-"

She stopped his words with a forced smile.

"Gaara-sama, that's the first time you said my name," she stated happily. Her face fell slightly before she hesitantly met his eyes.

"I trust you," she promised intently. "I'm confused, but I trust you."

Gaara's eyes widened.

Satoru's expression darkened. He was forgiven… just like that?

A voice cut through the air harshly.

"Sabaku no Gaara, hand over the jinchuriki."

**Last Minute Author's Note: I really did try not to make it a cliff hanger, but that just made the chapter seem convoluted. Please forgive me.**


	48. 48 The Battle

**Author's Note: Please send me a link if you have a drawing you want in the slideshow, in addition to the name you want to receive credit as. Thank you for waiting so long and happy reading.**

"Hand over the jinchuriki."

Ryoka's head snapped up. She struggled to push herself into a sitting position, but sand wrapped around her harshly and forced her back down. She glared at Gaara's back, desperate to help in a situation that was her fault. If she hadn't told the Akatsuki what she was…

**Don't you dare blame this on yourself.**

Natsuko's voice was sharp and a growl built in the back of his throat as he looked through Ryoka's eyes at the men before them. Ryoka couldn't tell if he was growling at Gaara or at the Akatsuki. Probably both. She struggled against the sand, but a sharp pain seared through her chest and she hissed slightly. Temari was at her side in an instant.

"Don't move, Ryoka," Temari ordered, placing her hands on the kunoichi's shoulders and gently but firmly pushing her down.

"You'll only make it worse for yourself."

Ryoka's fists clenched as Gaara warily approached the Akatsuki.

"You will not be allowed to lay a hand on Nadeshiko Ryoka," he claimed calmly, meeting each of their gazes individually. Deidara smirked.

"Bit too late for that, hm. We already have." Gaara's expression darkened slightly, but his tone remained calm.

"You refuse to leave peacefully?" he questioned, remaining stoic and composed as always.

"Hell yeah we ain't leaving!" Kisame yelled, lunging towards Gaara. The Kazekage's sand sprung up to deflect the attack. Gaara's eye twitched.

"Very well."

Ryoka growled in frustration. She wanted to fight alongside Gaara, not be protected, and both Temari and Kankuro knew it. They were doing everything in their power to keep her lying down.

"Let Gaara handle this," Kankuro told her. "He's the Kazekage after all. You can't do anything in that state."

"Kankuro-san," she protested weakly, her voice almost giving out on her.

"Listen to me, Ryoka," Temari said gently. "If Gaara has trouble, Kankuro and I will help, but the best thing you can do right now is heal." Temari brushed a strand of dark hair from the jinchuriki's face.

"I'm going to help Gaara," Kankuro announced. "I'll be his backup, so don't worry," he told Ryoka seriously. He left and ran ahead to catch up with Gaara, who had pushed Kisame back farther from them. Satoru followed, smiling confidently at her before leaving. Temari watched her brother leave before returning her attention to the jinchuriki.

She smiled weakly.

"You're a mess. You need your beauty sleep," she teased halfheartedly. It was true. Ryoka's hair was matted with sand and full of snarls, her eyes half lidded with dark rings around them. Her mask was torn and loose around her neck; Satoru had removed it to give her water, and she had sand in places she never dreamed she would.

"Don't make me watch and not be able to do anything," she whispered pleadingly to the blonde. She turned her head to watch Gaara, whose sand was flying in every direction, evenly matched with the three Akatsuki members. Only Kisame was attacking, but the other two looked ready to contribute if needed.

Temari looked down at Ryoka, her expression pained.

"I can't let you go out there," she insisted sadly. "You're what they want, and we can't let them have you."

"Why not?" she asked her voice bordering on desperate.

Temari took Ryoka's hand and interlocked their fingers, rubbing soothing circles in the palm of her hand.

"Because we love you, Ryoka. We wouldn't know what to do if you weren't with us. We missed you when you left, and were so, so worried when Satoru-kun told us you had been kidnapped."

She bristled. "And to think, they got their hands on you in our own home." She looked at the battle with angry eyes before returning her gaze to Ryoka. Her gaze softened.

"Do you understand?" she asked gently. Ryoka sat up slowly with effort.

"I don't want… any of you to get hurt," she murmured quietly, pleadingly. Temari wrapped her arms around the small girl's shoulders, trying to gently lay her back down.

"We aren't going to lose you," Temari murmured against Ryoka's neck. "Not again. Please understand, Ryoka." There was a long silence before Ryoka gave in.

"I understand, Temari-san. Thank you," she murmured. A smile tugged at Temari's lips.

Suddenly Ryoka's eyes shadowed.

"I'm sorry."

She hit the back of Temari's neck with her hand and the kunoichi started in shock before slumping forward. Ryoka gently laid the unconscious kunoichi next to her.

"It only took Deidara to kill Gaara last time," she said softly. "With Itachi and Kisame helping, there's no way for them to win without another jinchuriki's power."

She smiled happily, small tears forming in her eyes. "I love you too, Temari-san."

She leaned forward and tried to stand, her legs shaking unsteadily.

_Natsuko, I'm going to release the seal._

**No, you're not.**

_Natsuko-_

**If you release the seal now, you'll be killed. You don't have enough energy or chakra to survive the separation.**

_We don't have time for this! _She insisted. _If this continues, the Akatsuki will kill all of us, myself included, and extract you for who knows what. It's best for me to be the only one._

**Shut up, **he snapped, annoyed. **Kami, brat, just **_**shut up**_**. Stop blaming yourself for everything and trying to give up your life. You think I'd let you die that easily? Baka. Death is a privilege that you don't get to have. I'm not done making your life miserable, so suck it up and find a different way to help.**

Ryoka froze in a shocked silence.

…_are you scolding me? _She asked incredulously.

She just got a muffled snort in response.

_Fine, _she agreed finally. _I'm still going to release the seal, but I'll wait and gather chakra first._

**Finally, something that was actually smart came out of your mouth, **he sighed, somewhat satisfied. She ignored him.

She approached the battle slowly, forcing her legs forwards. The first time she fell, searing pain tore through her torso, leaving her gasping for air. That time she managed to get her feet under her again, but by the third time her knees buckled, she settled with inching through the sand on all fours. Once she was near enough to see and hear the battle, she stopped behind a boulder and leaned her back against it, closing her eyes. She needed to heal and replenish her chakra as quickly as possible. Natsuko helped as much as he could, allowing his chakra to heal the minor wounds and close the open injuries on her body. She took a deep breath, trying to gather little wisps of chakra that remained in her system, just enough to keep her alive. This process took time, though, time that they didn't have. She opened one eye, sneaking a glance at the fight going on behind her. Kisame and Deidara both were pushing Gaara back. They hadn't landed a scratch on him yet, but he was gradually beginning to tire. Every time he swiped at Kisame, the rogue would swing his monster of a sword and drain the chakra from the sand, causing it to fall to the ground harmlessly. Deidara was extensively using his abilities too, constantly creating more and more clay creations and strategically attempting to worm through Gaara's defense like he had once before. Ryoka closed her eyes again, trying to focus. He could do it. Gaara could push them back until she had enough strength to fight. At least, she hoped.

* * *

Gaara sent a column of sand shooting towards Deidara, but Kisame blocked its path, hacking away at the stream and causing it to fall to the ground harmlessly. Gaara closed his eyes slowly. How annoying. When he opened them again, Deidara was behind him, several small spiders in his hands. The blonde had a triumphant grin on his face.

"Art's a bang, hm!" he shouted, hurling the clay creatures at Gaara. Sand sprung up and blocked them, the explosion colliding with the gritty wall that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

"I will not allow you to do to Ryoka what you did to me," Gaara promised calmly, his voice low. "Prepare yourselves."

He thrust his hands into the ground, and at his sharp command, a tsunami-like wave of sand rose from the earth, getting larger and larger as it approached the two criminals. Kisame raised his sword, but the huge amount of sand overwhelmed him, pulling him underground in a sand created undertow. Deidara fared no better. He hastily made a clay eagle and leapt atop the beast, but the sand consumed both the eagle and the rider, dragging them to the ground and covering them in layer upon layer of sand. The desert was quiet for a moment. Gaara stared steadily at Itachi, who hadn't moved an inch since their arrival.

"Come," Gaara growled, keeping his expression stoic and composed.

"If you insist," the Uchiha answered coolly, taking a stance. Suddenly sand went flying as the bird and Deidara shot out of the ground, Kisame in tow. Gaara's eyes narrowed. They were persistent. Suddenly Itachi appeared before him, eyes narrowing.

"I am your opponent." Gaara barely had time to react as Itachi swung a kunai towards him. Sand immediately sprung up to block the attack, and Gaara averted his eyes slightly from Itachi's knowing better to get caught up in the effects of the Sharingan. Instead he stared at Itachi's sternum, focusing on the weak point in the center of his chest. If he could hit that vital… Gaara's head snapped to the side as Deidara leapt off his bird and allowed it to slam into his absolute defense, the clay animal exploding so brutally that the desert seemed to tremble for a moment. A small clay shrapnel broke through and lightly hit Gaara's face before falling to the ground. Gaara's scowl deepened, and he sent a column of sand after Deidara, only to be blocked by Kisame, who suddenly slit the bandages wrapping his sword, revealing a spiny blade with a mouth and very sharp looking teeth. The monster sword reared back and swallowed the sand, chakra vanishing and sand falling lifelessly from its jaws.

"Where are you looking?" Itachi's voice came from directly behind him. Gaara reacted instinctively, leaping into the air atop his sand and shooting several spikes of sand towards the Uchiha, whose eyes had shifted from black to a dark red. Kisame appeared above him, brandishing his sword, at the same time that Itachi struck from behind. With a silent curse, Gaara hastily ducked and swung his leg around, catching Kisame in a hard kick and forcing him to jump back. He tried to turn to block Itachi, but was too slow. Itachi was holding a chakra impregnated kunai, poised and ready to attack. He slashed down so quickly that the sand was slow to react, the gritty weapon wrapping around Itachi's arm and the kunai, stopping it mere inches from Gaara's nose. Gaara took a deep breath, trying to steady his breathing. He was overexerting himself too quickly, which was why they were managing to push him back. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kankuro engage in battle with Kisame, using chakra strings to force the sword to drain his owner's chakra rather than those of his enemies. Gaara felt a small rush of satisfaction and even a bit of pride at his brother fended off the attacks of the senior Akatsuki member. Gaara raised his hands and for a moment the entire desert seemed to tremble and suspend in the air. He closed his eyes and clenched his hands into fists. All the sand around them, save Kankuro's location, slammed down to the ground, pelting Itachi and Deidara with grainy slivers of compressed sand and enveloping the two from their feet up. Gaara quickly twisted his left hand and the sand around Deidara's legs compressed together, crushing the blonde's legs from the knees down. Deidara screamed as blood seeped through the sand. Gaara felt energy fill his sand as the blood filled grains crushed Deidara, making him scowl. He didn't like the way the smell of blood affected him. It sharpened his senses, made him more eager to kill. Though he had long since quelled his predator instincts, the feeling was easy to awaken with that much blood in the vicinity. Deidara struggled free and landed in a heap in the sand several feet below, struggling to crawl to safety.

Suddenly Itachi appeared inches from Gaara's face, and the Kazekage made the mistake of looking directly into the Uchiha's cursed bloodred eyes.

* * *

Gaara was surrounded by darkness.

"What did you do," he questioned tonelessly to the nothingness before them. He received no answer. He blinked slowly, turning around as the sound of birds flying rose from behind him. He saw a raven, perched on a body. He glanced at the body coldly. It was a citizen of Sunagakure.

"Your illusions will not affect me," he stated calmly. Itachi melted out of the darkness, his eyes glowing eerily in the black of their surroundings.

"Oh, really?" the Uchiha questioned.

Mounds of dead Suna citizens piled one atop another rose around the Uchiha, some covered in gore, their faces twisted in expressions of horror. Gaara didn't so much as blink.

"I grew up a monster. Death was a part of me," the Kazekage said slowly. "Your false illusions mean nothing."

"Even when it is those you love?" Itachi questioned coolly. The floor suddenly vanished and Gaara appeared in a different room. The walls and floor were all concrete, with just a stone bench furnishing the room. Gaara's eye twitched. Ryoka was laying on the bench, eyes closed, her hands tied with razor wire. She was breathing, but just faintly. As he watched, he saw shadows of Deidara and Itachi speaking about how she wasn't eating. His surroundings blurred, and he was suddenly watching helplessly as Kisame picked her up by the neck, her body torn and bloody. He threw her to the ground like a rag doll and Gaara growled slightly in spite of himself. She landed on all fours, coughing.

"…this is a lie," Gaara murmured to no one.

"You are watching my memories," Itachi informed him. There was no trace of a lie in his voice. The scene blurred a second time and Itachi stood before Ryoka, careful to step around the pool of blood that surrounded her.

_What do you know about Sabaku no Gaara? _The shadow Itachi asked. Ryoka recoiled from Itachi like she'd been slapped. A nasty feeling settled in Gaara's stomach, making his chest feel like a lead weight. It took him a moment to recognize what he was feeling. Guilt.

_He's a better man than you'll ever be, _she spat.

Gaara's eyes shot open wide.

"Stop this," he growled, glaring at the 'real' Itachi.

"I don't think you have realized the full consequences of your actions," Itachi droned. The memory vanished and Gaara watched as Ryoka appeared again, watching him warily. This time she looked real, not like a memory. She watched him with an unreadable expression for a moment.

"Ryoka…"

"Stop hurting me," she said, tilting her head to the side as if possessed.

_It's not real. _Gaara had to remind himself.

"Please," the illusion begged. "I keep getting hurt because of you, Gaara-sama."

"I never wanted to hurt you," he answered, his eyes slightly conflicted.

_It's not real._

"Stop hurting me!" she exclaimed, eyes wide. She crouched down, head in her hands, eyes wide as she rocked back and forth. He reached out to touch her shoulder but she fell away from him, her eyes terrified.

"Stop hurting me! _Stop!" _she screamed at him.

"Ryoka-"

"_Don't touch me!" _He froze. She slowly drew a kunai from her belt, watching him with a broken, sadistically insane expression.

"You..." she whispered. "You can't… hurt… me… anymore." She lunged at him and he froze for a split second, more confused than he had ever remembered being. That split second was all Ryoka needed. She slashed at Gaara from shoulder to hip, and at the last second Gaara jumped back, surprised at the blood that dripped from his skin. How…?

Itachi's voice reverberated through the darkness. _You don't see Nadeshiko Ryoka as a threat. Therefore neither does your sand. She alone is capable of penetrating your defenses._

"_STOP HURTING ME!" _she whirled and attacked him again, her face contorted with fury.

_It can't be real. _

"I hate you," Ryoka hissed. "You ruined everything for me. _Don't come near me!" _She hurled the kunai at his head and he froze, the blade slicing across his cheek and clattering to the ground behind him. He raised his hand and sand shot forwards towards the illusion. She cried out in fear and he froze, forcing the sand to stop inches from her. He couldn't touch her, not Ryoka. He closed his eyes tightly.

_It's not real!_

"You tried to hurt me again!" she shrieked at him, pulling another kunai from her belt.

"This is all fake! You're not real!" Gaara yelled, holding his head in his hands. He was shaking. Guilt reared up in his stomach stronger than any impulse Shukaku had ever given him. What was wrong with him?

_It's an illusion, an illusion. _But he still couldn't bring himself to attack her. The very thought made him convulse in disgust.

Suddenly the illusion shattered, and Gaara was once again standing in the desert, Kisame and Deidara buried, and Itachi standing a few yards away. Why had the illusion…? He was shaking, but he forced his hands to relax, feeling a drop of blood slide down his cheek. So that cut had been real? He took a deep breath to steady his racing heart before turning his gaze towards Itachi, confused. The man wasn't looking at him. Instead, his attention had turned to the east. Gaara followed his gaze. Standing nearby atop a sand dune, eyes slanted in anger towards his elder brother, was Uchiha Sasuke. Gaara froze. How long had Sasuke been tailing Itachi? The boy had finally hunted down his older brother, and had appeared in the middle of the genjutsu, distracting Itachi's focus just enough for the illusion to break.

"Nii-san," the younger Uchiha murmured. Itachi didn't answer, his eyes locked with Sasuke's.

A heavy tension filled the air as the two brothers glared at each other in silence. No one moved an inch.

Suddenly a voice cut through the air, coming from the east in the distance.

"OIIII! SASUKE!"

That voice… no mistaking it. Naruto had caught up to Sasuke, and Kakashi, Sai, and Sakura were no doubt close behind.

* * *

Ryoka flinched as Naruto's obnoxiously loud shout broke her concentration. She had started gathering chakra the best she could, by focusing her center and taking in the energy of her surroundings, but the process was going slowly, excruciatingly slowly. Her spirits lifted slightly when she saw Naruto coming towards the group at full speed, his bright blue eyes full of fierce determination. He could buy her some much needed time. Her gaze turned to Sasuke and she looked away, turning a blind eye to the Uchiha. He hadn't specifically crossed her yet, so she would leave him alone, but if he laid a hand on Gaara… her lips pulled back into a silent snarl. He wouldn't live to get away with it. She took a deep breath, wincing as the movement stretched her barely healed scars. Natsuko was working diligently as possible to both heal and restore her chakra, but he was a fighting type. Healing was difficult. Naruto stopped near her.

"Huh? What's going on?" he asked, taking in the scene. His eyes found her, and he grinned.

"Ryoka-chaaaan! I knew Gaara would find you!" he yelled, waving. She smiled weakly in return, lifting her hand in a shaky greeting. Sakura was at her side in an instant.

"Oh no, you're hurt," she sighed, raising her hands and placing them on Ryoka's stomach. Ryoka's eyes widened slightly as her chakra returned much faster with the pink haired kunoichi's help. Her scars seemed to heal right before her eyes.

"Sakura-san," she murmured in wonder. Sakura blinked.

"Does it hurt? I can slow down the process if that would make you feel more comfortable," she offered, eyes slanted in concentration.

"N-no, it's fine… You've improved a lot, is all," Ryoka admitted. Sakura blushed, smiling at her.

"Thanks!"

At this rate, she might have a chance of saving them in time. Ryoka doubled her effort, trying to restore her chakra while Sakura healed her injuries. Soon, she would be able to help, very soon. As long as Gaara and the others could hold out until then, everyone would be okay. Suddenly Kakashi appeared before her, his forehead protector already revealing his hidden eye, a sign that he was prepared to fight seriously.

"Nadeshiko-san," he greeted her calmly. She blinked.

"The Hokage is on her way. With both the Akatsuki and Sasuke-kun here, she believes that it would be in her best interest to kill two birds with one stone, persay."

Ryoka nodded, surprised. Suddenly there was a rumble from the earth and Kakashi whipped out a kunai, his expression alert. Kisame and Deidara broke through the surface of the sand, both with an equally dark fury resonating in their features. Deidara had surrounded his legs in clay, and seemed to be using that to walk, albeit a bit clumsily.

"…don't plan on being buried alive, hm," Deidara snapped, shaking sand out of his cloak.

"Don't think that trick will work again, Kazekage," Kisame snarled. Gaara's gaze shifted to the two Akatsuki and his scowl deepened.

"Kisame, Deidara," Itachi called coolly from where he stood. The two turned to face their comrade.

"Take care of things here. I will send in a replacement for myself."

"Nani?" Kisame protested angrily. "Where're you running off to?"

Itachi's gaze returned to Sasuke.  
"You are still too weak to fight me, Sasuke," he called. Sasuke's hands clenched into fists.

"But if you think you stand a chance, let us take this elsewhere." With that, the raven haired Uchiha vanished. Sasuke's eyes were murderous. He glanced at Ryoka, and his eyes widened slightly, seeing her there for the first time.

"Tch," he muttered. "Just watch me."

Sasuke ran forward and disappeared, following Itachi. There was a moment of silence, before once again, it was broken by Naruto.

"OI! SASUKE! WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?!" Naruto's voice was so loud that birds scattered from nearby rocks. He sounded extremely annoyed.

Kakashi tensed.

"Naruto, wait-!" but it was too late. The blonde shinobi had already vanished. Kakashi sighed, facing the Kazekage.

"Kazekage-san," he addressed Gaara formally, "Will you be able to take care of these two until the Hokage arrives? I will leave Sakura with you to attend Nadeshiko-san's injuries."

Gaara hesitated before giving a brief nod, and Kakashi bowed.

"Arigato. My deepest apologies." A moment later, the Jounin vanished.

Kisame grinned, revealing sharp, wicked looking teeth.

"Let's dance, Kazekage."

* * *

The fight resumed, seemingly endlessly. In the beginning, Gaara appeared to have the upper hand, but as the fight wore on, he grew more and more tired. Deidara and Kisame worked together well, and bit by bit were exhausting the powerful sand user. Every time Gaara attacked, Kisame would use his monster sword to render the blows harmless, while Deidara simultaneously tried to worm his way through Gaara's defense and blow him to smithereens. Kankuro had long since been rendered unconscious, and eventually Sakura had even joined the battle, trying to use her strength to assist Gaara and help him gain the upper hand. Gaara leapt back as a small paper missile missed his face by inches, exploding behind him and causing him to stumble forward slightly. His sand was slowing down. He wouldn't be able to hold out much longer.

From behind the boulder, Ryoka smiled, closing her eyes. She was finally ready. She had about half of her chakra, which wasn't much, but it was enough to make sure that she would survive once she released the seal.

_Are you ready?_

**Never been more ready in my life, brat, **came the response. She could feel Natsuko's excitement. She opened her eyes, feeling them darken to black. She grinned wickedly. This was going to be fun.

Gaara sent a column of sand shooting towards Kisame, having it divide into several missiles as it swarmed the criminal. Kisame raised his sword to block it when a colossal tremor shook through the ground, sending sand flying everywhere. When the dust settled, Gaara's eyes widened. Ryoka was crouched in the middle of a crater, her fist surrounded by cracks that had formed from the force of her blow. Her hair obscured one eye, but the other you could clearly see was black, with a glowing white center. She stood slowly, glaring at each one of them.

"I'm not really known for flashy attacks," she said quietly, locking eyes with everyone around her. The desert so silent her voice seemed to reach much farther than it should've.

"…but I need you," she locked eyes with Gaara, Satoru, Sakura, and Kankuro, "…to_ get out of the way."_

Realization seemed to hit all of them in an instant. Gaara leapt back, his sand grabbing the others, pulling them away from the crater as Ryoka nicked her finger and pressed the cut against the seal on her ankle. There was a moment of stillness, where Deidara and Kisame glanced at each other, confused, and then an explosion shot from the center of the crater, bathing Ryoka in black and white flames.

**Separate your chakra from mine, **Natsuko ordered. **We don't want you to become me, we just want to separate individually.**

She did the best she could, gritting her teeth as fiery pain shot through her leg. Suddenly A dark flame appeared around her ankle, wrapping around it like a chain and pulling itself free. The flame grew, larger and larger, unfurling into a massive black shape, with ivory, dagger-like teeth, and seven silver tipped tails. Claws grew from massive, dog like paws, and huge muscles formed, eventually taking the shape of an enormous, fiery black wolf writhed in flame.

Deidara smiled wickedly, but even he couldn't keep the awe and tiny bit of fear out of his voice.

"I-Impressive, hm," he said dryly. Kisame was no different. They both jumped slightly when Natsuko let out a fierce, deadly snarl from the back of his throat, the very sound ringing with the promise of death.

Seizing the distraction as an opportunity, Gaara sent a column of sand forward, having it wrap around the hilt of Kisame's sword and tearing it from his grasp before it had a chance to absorb the sand's chakra. He flung the weapon away and rapidly wrapped Kisame in sand from the ankles up, stopping directly beneath his chin.

"You," he addressed the criminal, eyes cold. Kisame glared at him, beads of sweat running down his sharklike face. "You were the one that harmed Nadeshiko Ryoka."

"Damn straight," Kisame snarled, a wicked smile spreading across his face. "And guess what? When we get her this time, we'll do it all over again, but we'll kill her."

Gaara snarled and closed his hand, causing Kisame to yell in agony. Gaara tossed the criminal's limp form aside, moving his focus to Deidara, but Ryoka held up a hand, stopping him. Her leg from the knee down was steaming, with angry red burns spiraling around her ankle where the seal had been, but she was glaring at Deidara.

"Gaara-sama," she said calmly, her voice filled with deadly hatred. "He killed you." Her voice became little more than a snarl. "_He's ours to kill." _Gaara hesitated, then briefly nodded, standing back out of their way. Deidara swore and leapt atop a clay bird, this one considerably smaller than the others. He must be running out of clay. It was about time. Natsuko inhaled, a massive ball of black energy forming in his mouth while simultaneously, Ryoka gathered every bit of chakra she had left. This would be the final blow for both of them. Though they were separate, Natsuko and she were still linked together. As soon as all of her chakra was depleted, Natsuko would be unable to fight except with tooth and claw. A spiral of dark energy formed in her hand, flickering with electricity. She glanced at Natsuko.

_Together?_

He smiled, revealing razor sharp teeth, and for once his reply wasn't sarcastic.

**Together.**

They both turned their gaze to Deidara, who was trying to get away. Ryoka ran forward and grabbed one of Natsuko's tails, allowing him to swing her up to Deidara's level. The wolf turned and shot the gathered energy underneath Ryoka straight towards Deidara. As the blast passed beneath her, Ryoka slammed her own spiral into Natsuko's, sending the wave of power straight towards Deidara. The criminal barely had time to widen his eyes in fear when the blast hit him straight on, throwing him backwards and sending him plummeting into the sand below. Seeing stars as her energy disappeared, Ryoka fell as well. Natsuko caught the back of her shirt in his teeth and gently lowered her to the sand, where she stayed on all fours, breathing heavily. Several of her wounds had reopened, but she was smiling, her expression triumphant. She looked up at Natsuko, still gasping for air, but happily smiling wide. He snorted.

**What's that expression for? **But he was satisfied as well. She met Gaara's eyes and her smile faded slightly. She gave a small gasp and her eyes widened in horror as she looked past Gaara. The cheerful mood suddenly vanished as quickly as it had come.

She only had time to mouth 'behind you' when a gust of air shot past the Kazekage. Gaara whirled around just in time to see an orange haired figure dart past him, grab Ryoka, and return to his original location.

Natsuko let out a fierce growl and Gaara's eyes widened when he recognized their new enemy. The supposed leader of the Akatsuki, Pein.

"Impressive," he complimented her in a low voice, keeping a tight grip on her upper arm. She glared at him, still breathing heavily. "…but I'm afraid you executed that attack a moment too soon. Had you waited an instant longer I may have been caught up in the explosion. For those of you who don't know, I am Pein, temporary replacement for Itachi, who is preoccupied at the moment."

Natsuko let out a fierce growl and leapt forward, but in an instant, Pein pulled out a kunai and pressed it against Ryoka's neck. Natsuko stopped, claws sinking into the sand in frustration. Gaara raised sand behind the criminal, intending to disarm him, but Natsuko merely pressed the edge of the blade into Ryoka's neck, drawing a bead of blood from her neck.

"Stop your sand, Kazekage."

Gaara froze, the sand freezing with him. He had forgotten that Pein possessed the Rinnegan.

"Remember that we do not need this girl alive. We can extract the nana-bi from her dead body should we need-"

Suddenly a crash echoed through the desert as a woman's fist came out of nowhere and punched the ground directly behind Pein, causing several cracks to appear in the sand coated earth. Sand dunes worth of dust went flying, causing Pein to lose his footing just slightly. The woman's other hand clutched the back of Ryoka's shirt and dragged her back to Gaara and Natsuko. Gaara's eyes widened.

"Tsunade!" he exclaimed, mildly surprised at her impeccable timing.

Indeed, the blonde was standing confidently between the wolf and the Kazekage, raising one arm to form a fist and keeping the other around Ryoka's shoulders.

"Pein," she addressed him directly. "You are now against the Hokage, the Kazekage, and the third strongest jinchuriki. I suggest you consider your options very, very carefully." Her voice was forceful and demanding. There was a long silence. Finally, Pein gave a stiff nod.

"Very well. This time, the pain of the battle is not worth the reward." He closed his eyes slowly.

"However," he continued. "This is not over. Be prepared for our return. Kisame, Deidara. We are leaving."

He raised a hand and the three of them vanished, finally leaving.

"Is it over?" Ryoka asked quietly, looking over Tsunade's shoulder to Gaara. He walked over to her and put an arm over her shoulders, pulling her close to him.

"Ah," he answered softly. "It's over." He looked down at her, eyes content, and for the first time, he smiled.

**Last Minute Author's Note: If I wrote another Naruto fanfiction, which character would you want an OC pairing with? Good/Evil and boy/girl doesn't matter. Just trying something out. Same thing with Fairy Tail. Good/evil and male/female are irrelevant. Please review, and thanks for all the feedback(:**


End file.
